To Be Reunited
by Lillian Edwards
Summary: She calls herself Kira, she sees the names, but where does her bloodline really lead? The death note changed her life, can she save her father's? Mello and OC pairing.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** I don't own death note.

**Credit: **Original idea by Yami Yugi Alexander the 4th.

**Chapter One**

**Prologue**

_Dear Diary,_

_I have five hours, ten minutes and fifteen seconds left to live._

_The fact that I'm going to die soon doesn't bother me, in fact I'm excited, I've done everything I hoped and more._

_The last thing I want to do before I die is tell my story, even after years of looking back I can't understand it all, but maybe it's just too strange to make any real sense..._

_It was raining on the first day of September 2016..._

I don't like being inside, so instead of rushing into the house when it started to pour, like all the other children did, I stayed out in the rain.

I love the rain, I guess that's just one more thing that makes the other kids question my sanity.

I leaned up against an old tree in the yard, the leaves had already colored and many had fallen away, but the branches were thick enough to keep me from drowning.

I watched the house, the windows are all lit and I can see a few wet children watching me through the window and whispering to each other.

That's what people do around here... they watch me and whisper, they wonder why I'm here, who I am... and other things...

J, C, and H are the ones watching me right now.

Jasper,Carroll, and Heather... but only I know that.

I smiled at them and the three faces ducked under the windowsill and out of my view.

That's why people are afraid of me, I've lived here my whole life and everyone who walks through the front door is afraid of me. Because I see names, everyone is afraid.

It started with Sierra, she tried to talk to me on her first day and I called her by her name. No one uses real names here, we all use fake ones, but I never really cared. She got kind of freaked out over it and when she made friends she told them about it and they tried to talk to me...

Jean, Reggie, and Victoria.

And that was all it took, there was one week when everyone in the house started tracking me down in the halls and asking me how I knew their names.

I would just shrug, I was only about eight at the time but they were scared of me.

Then, someone pointed out that I knew names like Kira did.

Kira was a serial killer from a few years ago, he only killed criminals, but he was still a murderer. That kid started calling me Kira and it stuck, soon I decided to take Kira as my official alias, of course that just made things worse.

The rumors about me being related to Kira started around then and the only thing that stopped them from saying I was Kira was the fact that I was only five years old when L caught him.

L was the reason that the Kira name bothered me, probably the only reason. I'm first in line to succeed L, and it's annoying being called the name of L's most challenging enemy.

I've lived in Wammy's House for all twelve years of my life, I don't know my parents and if I had one wish, it would probably be to meet them. I've heard stories about the other kid's parents and how proud they were of their children...

But that doesn't really matter.

No one came to get me, but I assume they all knew where I was. Maybe even the attendants wanted me to catch my death in the rain.

I stood up and walked out from under the tree's protection. I crossed the yard and pulled the door handle uselessly. It's locked, of course, no one wants me here.

I sighed with nothing more then irritation before I walked around to the back of the house. I didn't expect the back door to be open, that would be too easy, so I ignored the handle and started climbing up the tree that grew right next to the house.

The branches were shaped so they didn't hit the house but I could still jump from the highest branch to the roof of Wammy's. I had used this trick so many times that I barely needed to think about the jump.

The tiles of the roof were wet and slippery, and I had to role my long black sweat pants up so I didn't slide off, I was three stories up.

I walked slowly and carefully across the roof and to the window I had left open just for an occasion such as this. I climbed through the window and closed it behind me.

Ms. Erin didn't like windows being left open in the rain, she said it let in a draft.

Ms. Erin was the house caretaker, she was the third one since Mr. Wammy, the founder, who had gone off to travel with L, when I was five, Mr. Roger had gone away too, and Ms. Erin, who had been working in the house when Mr. Roger was in charge, had taken over.

She wasn't afraid of me, she said I just needed more attention, so whenever I did something wrong, she would take care of my punishment personally.

I walked across the dark room and opened the door to an empty hallway. The lights were on constantly, even on the top floor, which I used as a place to think, and as a way to get back inside when I was locked out.

I walked down the stairs, planning to return to my room and change, I was soaked. But as I walked past groups of children and listened to all I could of their conversations without stopping, I decided that going back to my room was a bad idea.

I turned sharply and walked down another staircase, to the first floor, and through a heavy wooden door into the dining room.

It was a large room and it was filled with tables, I looked around for an empty table, before crossing the room and sitting down.

I was still cold and wet, but I knew that I wouldn't have much time before Ms. Erin asked to speak to me about being outside after dark, again.

All I could do was sit there, holding back the shivers as people watched, that was what they were waiting for, if I shook with cold I would be admitting defeat.

Luckily I didn't have long to wait before an attendant came to get me.

"Ms. Erin wants to speak to you." the woman said, she was older then me, but still young, she still had years to live.

"Right." I said, standing up and walking out of the room, eyes to the floor.

Ms. Erin was waiting, I didn't knock, she had invited me anyway.

"Your soaked!" she stated as if she hadn't known already. Her voice was clearly forced into a stern tone that didn't suit her.

I looked down at my wet clothes as if noticing them for the first time.

I wore too-long black sweat pants under a knee length black dress with long sleeves, my short, messy black hair was dripping and clinging to my face my clothes were chosen specifically to hide as much of my unnaturally pale skin as possible.

I ran my fingers through my hair to give the impression that I wanted to look presentable, but I didn't really care at all, that's why I had cut my hair short. Long hair was too hard to take care of, but with short hair I didn't have to do anything with it.

If I brushed my hair, it fell strait to my chin and curled out at the ends, but I didn't brush it, so it stuck out messily in almost every direction but up.

"I got caught in the rain." I stated, calmly.

"And why didn't you dry off? You'll catch a cold." Ms. Erin asked, she avoided asking about the locked door.

"I only just came in, I was on my way to my room." I lied, flatly.

"Kira..." she winced almost noticeably at the name, none of the adults had approved of my calling myself Kira, but I was stubborn and always get my way. "...never mind, go dry off..."

I was out of the office before she could close her mouth, I hated being called in, Ms. Erin wasn't mean at all, I just didn't like the thought of depending on an adult to help me with my popularity issues.

I went to my room and changed out of my wet clothes and into an identical outfit. I rubbed my wet hair with a towel until it stopped dripping and didn't bother brushing it out afterwards, then I walked through the house to the library.

The library was my favorite room in the house. I spent most of my time there, looking through the thick books that each told the story of a different case solved by L, the Kira case was my favorite to look at, even though the details were sketchy.

For example, the book said that L met with the Japanese task force in person at midnight December 31st 2003, which is basically new years that year.

The book even has the name of the hotel they met in, but it doesn't have any information about what was said at the meeting.

I sighed as I closed the book for the thousandth time since the case was solved.

I called myself Kira to prove that the other kid's teasing didn't bother me, because I hate losing and allowing other people's taunts to get to me would be stating that they won and I lost.

I never lose.

I propped my elbow up on the table and rested my cheek on my closed fist.

I'm twelve years old and I haven't left this house once. I tapped my fingernails against the wooden table, I was the only one in the library at this hour.

I glanced again at the thick book about the Kira case before standing up and walking towards the door. Just as I wrapped my fingers around the knob, I heard a noise behind me.

It sounded like a book being dropped and I wondered if the book I had left on the table had fallen onto the floor.

I turned to see the book sitting quietly in the table, I considered leaving, but instead I walked back over to the table and picked up the book intending to put it away.

I was distracted by a second book on the table. I hadn't gotten it out, and no one else was in the library, or at least not that I had noticed. I set the Kira case book back down and bent over looking at the second one.

It was a thin, black, collage rule notebook with the words 'Death Note' written in large, messy white lettering.

I blinked, there wasn't anyone here...

"Hello?" I called, quietly, if this was a prank then it was a good one, I couldn't imagine how long someone would have to stay still and silent in the dark library in order to pull this off, I had been here for an hour or two at least.

No one answered, so I reached a hand out to grab the book, if someone was trying to prank me, they were going to fail and lose their notebook.

I opened the book to a random page, each page was filled with names, I flipped through the pages for several minutes before turning back to the first page. The notebook had an unnaturally large amount of paper in it for something so thin.

The dim light in the library made it hard to read, but I didn't have too much trouble making out the words on the inside of the front cover. I have very good eyesight.

_The human who's name is written in this note shall die_

I frowned at the thought of a murder notebook and continued reading.

_This note will not take effect unless the writer has the person's face in their mind when writing his/her name. Therefore, people sharing the same name will not be affected._

I closed the notebook, the idea was ridiculousand the fact that anyone had this much free time was pathetic.

"Very funny." I called into the darkness, then I turned to leave.

"_AAAHHIE!!_" I shrieked, leaping backwards and dropping the notebook. My foot caught the leg of a chair and I fell back onto the floor.

I crawled backwards away from the monster standing in front of the closed door.

I panted and gasped for air as I watched the monster's movements closely.

"Hyuk hyuk" the thing laughed... sort of.

My heart was pounding and I could tell that my eyes were wide and full of fear, I fought for control of my face and after a few silent seconds my breathing quieted.

"What... no who are...?" I panted, frowning at myself.

This was a really elaborate prank.

"Hyuk hyuk" the thing laughed again, I'm sure that's what it was doing. "I'm Ryuk, a shinigami." the thing's wide mouth contorted into something that resembled a smirk.

"Shini...gami...?" I asked, that wasn't English, in fact it was probably Japanese, I would have to look it up later.

"Yeah." the thing answered.

I inched backwards until I hit one of the shelves, I pulled myself up onto my feet and pressed my back to the shelf, glaring at the thing.

It watched me with silent amusement, as I slid to my right then walked a bit forward so the table with the Kira case book on it was between me and the monster.

The black notebook was lying upside down on the floor by the monster's feet.

"If that's your book, I didn't do anything to it, I swear." I stated, I reached slowly for the thick book on the table in front of me, not taking my eyes off the monster.

"I know." the thing said.

My fingers wrapped around the spine of the book and I pulled it across the table towards me. I was planning to use it to defend myself, it was thick and if I could get through the door and into the hall I would be able to run to the office.

"So why are you here?" I asked, I glanced at the closed door, it would take me about two seconds to get it open, plus five seconds to run over to it, more if the thing tried to stop me.

"I'm here to see what you do with it." the thing said.

"Do with what?" I asked nervously.

"The notebook." it said.

"I'm not going to do anything with it. It's over there." I stated.

"That's no fun." the thing said, "I thought you would at least test it."

"No. There's no such thing as a murder notebook." I insisted.

"Really? Hyuk hyuk, why don't you try it out then, if your so sure it won't work."

"I won't, because if you're telling me to use it, it might work." I hope that made sense.

The thing laughed again and I glanced down at the book in my hands, the black letters that spelled out 'KIRA' on the front cover shone in the dim light of the room.

I glanced from the laughing monster to the black notebook at it's feet, then back to the black 'KIRA' lettering. Then I repeated the cycle a few times.

"A murder notebook?" I asked quietly, the thing stopped laughing to look at me.

"Yeah." it said.

"What would you do to someone who uses it?" I asked, my thoughts finally clicking together.

"Nothing." the thing said.

"Nothing?" I repeated, disbelievingly.

"That's right," the thing chuckled softly "now that you've touched it, the notebook is yours, I won't do anything to you."

"Mine?" I whispered.

"Yeah."

"Why? Why would you give me something like that?" I asked.

"I was bored, and the last time I dropped it, it worked out really well... for me at least." it laughed again.

"You've dropped it before?" I asked.

"You ask a lot of questions. Yeah, I dropped it a few years ago, that's what that book's about... isn't it?" the thing sounded innocent and mocking at the same time, but the words themselves took a few seconds to sink in.

"Kira's notebook?" I asked, shakily.

The thing smirked again and I took that as a yes.

"So it kills people... like Kira did?" I asked.

"Yeah, it does."

"And if I walked over and picked it up right now... you wouldn't do anything?" I asked.

"Hyuk hyuk, no I wouldn't do anything." it assured me.

I pulled the Kira book into my arms and held it against my chest as it walked slowly around the table, bent down at the monster's feet and picked up the notebook... the thing laughed at my caution as I stood up.

"I'm going back to my room now." I stated, the thing watched me and I realized how little that sentence meant to it. "Move out of my way." I tried to order it, but my voice broke as I watched it stare at me.

The thing laughed for a solid minute before it stepped to the side, clearing the way for me.

I walked to the door, the notebook and the Kira case book in my arms. I looked over my shoulder at the thing before opening the door.

**Author's Note:** Hello, I haven't written anything in a while, I hope you liked the first chapter, I kind of rushed through this part. The original idea for this story belongs to Yami Yugi Alexander the 4th.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Death Note.

**Credit: **Original idea by Yami Yugi Alexander the 4th.

**Chapter 2**

**Experimental**

The second the library door closed behind me, I was sprinting back to my room, I slammed the door and crossed to my desk.

I set down the two books and exhaled in relief as I turned around...

Ryuk stood in the doorway, smirking as I jumped. I almost asked how he got in but decided against it.

I sat down in my desk chair, my messy hair and black eyes reflecting in the computer screen.

"This thing kills..." I said, mostly to myself.

Ryuk chuckled.

I opened the notebook and tapped a pen against the desk as I read the names on the pages.

I opened the KIRA case book and started comparing the names on the victims' list to the names in the notebook.

After a few minutes of matches, I looked back up at the shinigami.

"Ryuk..." my voice sounded small and afraid, I cleared my throat and tried again, "Did you meet Kira?" I asked.

"Yeah, I met him, Hyuk hyuk..." Ryuk laughed.

"What was he like?" I asked, the shinigami smirked at me, I frowned.

"Older then you. He was pretty smart too, a really interesting guy up until the end..." Ryuk faded into laughter.

I gulped at the implications.

"Are you going to use the notebook now?" he asked.

"No, I'm not a murderer, what Kira did was wrong!" I insisted, not caring about how loud I was being, I was already going to get in trouble for slamming the door in the middle of the night.

"If you hate Kira so much, then why would you take the name?" Ryuk asked.

"That's not the point, I didn't take the name because I supported Kira..." I sat back in the chair I hadn't noticed I'd left.

"What about all these other rules?" I asked to change the subject "Like writing the cause of death... and the times and stuff, is it possible to make someone live longer then they normally would?"

Ryuk chuckled as he answered. "You can't make someone live longer then they're meant to, it just doesn't work that way, besides anyone who's name gets written in the notebook dies in twenty-three days at the most. Kira figured that one out."

"What about the cause of death?" I asked.

"What makes you think I'll tell you all this for nothing?"

"You must have told Kira some of this stuff, what makes me different?"

"I didn't tell Kira anything. He figured out all the details on his own."

I didn't know how to answer that, so I looked back at the notebook. The rule was easy enough to understand; write the cause of death within forty seconds of writing the name, then write any other details within six minutes and forty seconds of writing the cause of death.

"So you can make anything you want happen to the victim within twenty-three days?" I asked, hoping that Ryuk would give me an answer.

"No. If something's not possible you'll just die of a heart attack." Ryuk corrected.

"That makes sense..." I opened the Kira case book to the page detailing the deaths of three inmates who had acted strangely, one had run from his cell to the bathroom before dying, another had drawn a pentacle on the wall of his cell using his own blood, and the third had written a suicide note. "...so the cause of death would be _suicide_, _heart attack _or_ accident_... right?"

"There are more then that but yeah, that's the general idea."

"So you could write '_someone_ suicide at _some time_, kisses their girlfriend and jumps off a bridge.' and it would work?"

"As long as you don't put the girlfriend's name down, it should work." Ryuk answered. "Why? Are you planning to get a free kiss from one of the boys here?" he chuckled again.

I frowned. "No, I'm not, that's a really stupid idea, besides I'm not going to kill anyone anyway."

"If you don't plan on using the notebook, why all the questions?" Ryuk asked.

"Maybe I'm just curious, had you thought of that?" I glared at the shinigami.

Ryuk laughed again. "I did consider it, but I doubt you'd be the type to just ask questions and not test your answers."

"I want to meet my dad." I said, flatly.

Ryuk burst rather loudly into a fit of laughter.

"What's so funny?!" I shouted, standing up again.

"Do you know who you parents were?" Ryuk asked, chuckles still interrupting the seriousness of the question.

"I know my mother died in childbirth... that's why I'm here, but my father could be anyone and I want to meet him!" I stated firmly.

"Do you know your father's name?" Ryuk asked, teasingly.

"No, but I don't plan on using his name to find him." I answered.

"But you plan on using the death note?"

"Yes, I know I can find him with it because he'll come to me." I boasted.

"And how do you plan to make that happen?"

"I'll write my name." I said.

"Oh, that's interesting..."

I didn't answer him, instead I sat back down in my chair and turned to the notebook.

I suppose I was only brave enough to write my name because some small part of me still doubted that it would work.

"So if the cause of death can't happen, I'll die of a heart attack in forty seconds?" I confirmed.

"Yeah, that's what should happen." Ryuk moved closer to read over my shoulder.

I took a deep breath and started writing.

_Opal Destiny Lawliet, peaceful death_

_Dies in her sleep on September 23__rd__ 2016 after meeting her long lost father._

As my pen left the paper, I sucked in a breath and held it, hoping that my father was still alive to find me, I watched the clock by my bed, waiting for the moment when I would die of a heart attack because the circumstances I wrote were impossible.

I didn't look away from the clock for two full minutes, then finally, I let out a relieved sigh and closed the notebook.

Ryuk was laughing behind me. "Looks like you weren't as confident in you plan as you looked." he chuckled.

"That gives him twenty two days to show up." I said, ignoring the laughing shinigami.

"Good luck." Ryuk's comment was almost mocking.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Nothing." Ryuk laughed as he faded into the wall.

"Creepy shinigami..." I mumbled, under my breath.

I stood up and crossed my room, laying down on my bed.

"Better get some rest... my dad could show up any day now."

Then I drifted off to sleep with a smile on my face.

**Author's Note: **here's the second chapter, I hope Ryuk wasn't too out of character, the plot will start getting more interesting in the next chapter, I promise.


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Death Note.

**Credit: **Original idea by Yami Yugi Alexander the 4th.

**Chapter 3**

**Pre-Shock**

I woke up feeling unnaturally warm, but it wasn't me, it was the bed that was giving off heat, and even though it was unusual for me to wake up to a warm bed, it felt nice.

Another thing I noticed right away was that there was sunlight in the room, this did worry me a bit because the curtains in my room were so thick that not light could get through. Of course my eyes were still closed so it could just be my imagination.

I shifted slightly, burying my face in the warm fabric that almost molded to my form as I moved. The bed had a faint, almost masculine smell, that made me wonder whether or not I was still in my room. Though I was too tired and too comfortable to move, or even open my eyes to check.

It was then that the bed shifted around me and squeezed me tighter. I froze in shock and without my movements to hide it, I felt warm breath on my cheek.

I opened my eyes to see a boy, about my age, with blonde hair and thin angular features curled up against me, with his arms wrapped tightly around my waist and shoulders.

I blinked a few times to confirm that he was really there before glancing around the room to confirm that it was mine.

A few things had changed, there were posters on the walls and the curtains were the same white as all the other rooms, there was even a second bed in the room on which a second boy with red hair held out of his face by goggles slept, spread out like a snow angel with the sheets tossed and wrapped about him.

But aside from those differences, it was obvious that this was my room, the walls were structured the same way and the window was open to the same view.

I lay in the blonde boy's arms, wondering why he was there and how my room had been changed so completely in one night. But as he shifted again and, muttering something about chocolate, ran his tongue over my neck, my patience with his closeness reached it's end.

"WHAT THE HELL?!" I shrieked, pushing him away from me, he slipped off the edge of the bed and hit the ground with a _thud_. I sat up on the bed and pushed my messy hair out of my face.

The boy groaned loudly from his place on the floor and lifted his head to look at me. He had blue eyes, and his hair was longer then I had first thought, it almost reached his shoulders, giving him and almost girly appearance.

"What was that for?" he mumbled, still half asleep.

"What do you mean 'what was that for?' you're the one who snuck into my room while I was asleep, rearranged my furniture, and stole my curtains!" I shouted.

_I sound insane. But it's all this jerk's fault._

My accusations seemed to bring him back to his senses. "What are you talking about? This is my room!" he climbed back up onto the bed and attempted to stare me down, but he didn't look as threatening as he might have if he had brushed his hair and put on a shirt.

"Your room? Oh no, this has been my room for years, my whole life even! Now get out before I tell Ms. Erin!"

"Me and Matt have shared this room for almost five years now! Roger knows, and if you don't leave I'm the one who's gonna tell!"

"Wait... Roger...?" my anger died at the name, Roger had managed the house until I was five years old, then he had gone away somewhere.

"Yeah, Roger, he knows who's in which room." the boy glared at my confused expression.

"Hey, Mells, keep it down will ya?" the boy, Matt I guess, grumbled from the second bed.

"Matt, isn't this our room?" 'Mells' asked.

"Hmm? Yeah... sure..." Matt answered, he was laying facing away from the two of us and clearly still tired. "Now go to sleep, what time is it? Like six?"

"It's..." I started, glancing down at the watch I had fallen asleep wearing... "2:47 AM..." I mumbled. "That can't be right... my watch must have stopped..."

"Yeah, obviously. It's 8:30." the blonde boy stated.

I tapped my watch a couple of times to confirm that it wasn't going to start working again before taking it off and dropping it onto the floor.

"Hey, don't make a mess in our room." the blonde boy ordered.

I smirked and stuck my tongue out at him in an unforseen moment of childishness.

He glared. I smiled at his anger.

"Mello, who are you even talking to?" Matt groaned as he turned over to look at us. He blinked a couple of times to confirm my existence before letting his mouth drop open.

"This girl thinks this is her room." Mello complained.

"It is, and you know it! This is a stupid trick now get out." I countered, glaring at him.

Matt yawned loudly and sat up on his bed, rubbing his eyes.

"This is stupid. If it's really your room then let's go talk to Ms. Erin and see what she says." I suggested.

"Who's Ms. Erin?" Matt asked, sleepily.

"What do you mean? She runs the house, you know; Samantha Erin, the lady who keeps the records and tells people to get to class on time?" I prompted but both boy's remained confused.

"Roger runs the house." Mello stated as though that fact alone had won the argument for him.

"No, Roger left, like, six years ago. Back when I was five..." I watched Mello's expression as he thought this over.

Mello, didn't say anything, he just gave me a confused look, like I had told a joke that he didn't get. The room was completely silent, Matt looked back and forth between Mello and I.

"Didn't he...?" I asked after a few minutes.

"Roger's always been here. And this isn't your room." Mello stated, but his tone was distant, as though he were attempting to solve a complicated math problem in his head.

I took a good look at Mello, reading his name over and over, trying to remember if I had ever seen him before, but I couldn't remember him living at Wammy's.

Then I turned and studied Matt in the same way. I read his name, and tried to remember his appearance but nothing stood out until I glanced at his life span.

_Mail Jeeves_

_1 - 26 - 2010_

Of course I could have done the math wrong, but after two or three attempts at correcting myself, I accepted that this boy was dead.

"You died six years ago..." I whispered, not caring if Matt heard me or not.

"What are you talking about?" Mello interrupted my thoughts.

"What year is it?" Matt couldn't be dead because he was sitting right in front of me, so either I did my math wrong...

"2003, now answer my question." Mello was getting angry again.

"2003? But last night it was 2016..." I suddenly felt dizzy and confused, he had to be lying. It wasn't possible to fall asleep and wake up thirteen years ago.

"Maybe you should see a doctor..." Matt suggested, looking a little worried about sitting so close to me.

With one more glance at his life span, the most likely cause I could think of for my time traveling incident occurred to me and I paled noticeably.

The black notebook that I had written my name in last night had worked. The circumstances were that I would meet my father, but maybe he wasn't alive anymore so I had been sent back in time to meet him...

"...lo? Hello?!" Mello shouted, waving a hand in my face.

Where was the notebook?

"Get off the bed!" I shouted.

Mello opened his mouth to argue but I shoved him to the floor and began tearing the sheets off the mattress. Matt moved out of my way on his own.

I started tossing the pillows away, one of which conveniently hit Mello in the face, knocking him back to the ground.

The notebook wasn't on the bed, so I got down on the floor and reached underneath. I felt around blindly until my hand connected with the plastic wrapper of a chocolate bar. I tossed it over my shoulder to Matt who dropped it on the dresser like something diseased.

I continued to reach around under the bed for the notebook, but when my fingers touched something cold and slimy I withdrew my had with a squeal.

"What was that?!" I asked Matt.

"Jelly if you're lucky." he shrugged.

I shivered at the thought.

Mello was shouting at me again, but I wasn't listening.

I pulled my knees up to my chest and placed my undefiled thumb in my mouth. If the notebook wasn't there, then maybe it didn't come back with me. It's probably still sitting in my room...

Ignoring the potential dangers of the loose death note, I stood up and started to leave the room, only to find a very angry Mello blocking my path.

"Where do you think you're going?" he asked, his chest puffed out like a tropical bird.

"You said you wanted me out of your room." I answered absently, and pushed past him, my father had to be in this building somewhere.

"Not until you clean up this mess!" he shouted after me.

"You couldn't see the floor anyway." I called over my shoulder.

"Wait!" I hadn't even made it around the corner by the time Mello and Matt had caught up with me.

"Where are you going?" Mello asked, still trying to act tough.

"I have to find my father." I stated.

"Good luck." Mello scoffed, "Kids wind up here because they don't _have_ fathers."

"Well he has to be out there somewhere or I wouldn't be here right now."

"Your dad doesn't have to be alive now, you've obviously been born already..."

"He's here." I stated, not wanting to argue anymore.

"Whatever..." Mello pouted.

"Where are the adults here?" I asked.

"All over, I guess, Roger's in his office, there are cooks in the kitchen, attendants..." Matt gave up on the sentence and took a handheld game system out of the pocket of his pajama pants.

I hadn't considered my father working at the house, especially since Ms. Erin had said she didn't know who he was.

"Are there any adults who don't live here?" I asked.

"Not now." Mello huffed.

I sighed. My father had to be here or I wouldn't have been sent here. It suddenly occurred to me that the death note couldn't move me through time _and _space. Considering I was still in my own bed just thirteen years earlier.

I stopped walking with a groan... my father could be anywhere in the world.

"What?" Mello asked, forgetting about his sulking as he and Matt stopped walking a little ahead of me.

"Maybe he's not here..." I mumbled.

"Uh... yeah, I doubt he's here... but, well, if you're so sure he's out there... maybe you'll find him eventually..." Mello made an effort to comfort me.

"Yeah... you're right... I need to talk to Roger." I smiled a little, but my disappointment was obvious.

I turned to walk to the office, not noticing as Matt lifted his head from his game long enough to raise an eyebrow at Mello. Mello frowned at Matt and took a step to follow me, but a door opened along the hall and a small boy stepped out.

He had white hair and wore baggy white pajamas, in his hand was a toy robot. I stopped walking when I saw his eyes, they were black like mine were because his pupil was permanently expanded, but the thin ring of iris that surrounded them was a pale blue instead of the brown-ish crimson I had.

"Near." Mello stated, turning his head away, obvious hostility flowed around him even though his voice was flat..

"Mello." the boy called Near responded, but his voice was toneless and uninterested.

I took a quick look at his name, Nate River, and made sure that he wasn't going to die before my time, like Matt would.

Matt didn't so much as look at Near, he was far too absorbed in his game to notice him, but I couldn't look away, I wondered if he was related to me in some way because I had never seen someone with eyes like mine before.

"Hello." he said quietly, I almost had to strain to hear his voice.

"Hey." I answered him, Mello gave me a look that I didn't bother to notice.

I turned away from the three of them and continued down the hall. I reached the stairs and descended to the first floor. The main office was by the front door, I moved to the door and placed my hand on the doorknob, then it hit me; I wasn't supposed to be born yet.

My birthday was January twelfth 2004.

If I went into Roger's office and asked for my records he wouldn't know who I was.

I sighed.

I could create a file for myself and move in, but what about finding my father? I decided not to live at Wammy's. After all, there was no point in going back in time just to live the same life I did in the future.

I turned away from the door and walked back up the stairs.

"Mello?" I asked as I came upon Mello and Matt in their room.

"Yeah?" Mello responded.

"Can I share a room with you two for a while?" I tried to look innocent, but Mello hadn't forgotten that morning yet.

"No."

"Please?"

"No."

"Come on, I'll clean up the mess I made!" I begged.

"No."

"Mello!" I closed the door behind me, "Please! Just let me stay for a few days!"

He sighed, glancing at Matt.

"I don't care." Matt stated, not looking away from his game.

Mello groaned.

"Please?" I asked, trying not to look too desperate.

"Fine." Mello allowed. "But you have to clean the room." he bargained.

"Deal!" I agreed.

"The whole room."

"Uhh..." I hesitated, "sure. Deal." I mumbled, looking around at the mess in the room.

Mello grinned, clearly pleased with his revenge. "You'd best get started." he smirked.

I sighed, loudly, wondering if it was really worth it.

"You can't tell Roger I'm here." I warned.

"Why not?" Mello questioned.

I couldn't think of a good excuse, I couldn't say that I didn't exist yet...

"I'm going to leave soon, I don't want to be put in an orphanage." I attempted.

"Whatever..." Mello grumbled, laying back on the bed as I began my cleaning adventure.

**Author's Note:** this took me forever! I hope Mello is in character. In the poll to see who would be the love interest, Mello won by one vote. Thanks to all who voted!


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Death Note.

**Credit:** Original idea by Yami Yugi Alexander the 4th.

**Chapter 4**

**Impossible**

_This is insane._ _There's no way this'll ever get done..._

The amount of dirty clothes alone was enough to put me off, it terrified me to think about what the next layer consisted of. I had already been working for about an hour and I still couldn't see the floor.

I avoided the beds completely, mostly because Mello decided to lay on one of them and tease me as I worked. "You missed a spot." "Be careful with those pants." "I wouldn't do that if I were you..."

I was beyond the point of ignoring him.

One corner of the room seemed to be devoted entirely to studying, the floor and desk were buried under a mound of thick books written in almost every language to date. I hadn't ventured near it yet, I was too afraid of the pile tipping over on me.

I reached under a small table and pulled out yet another chocolate bar. "Here." I mumbled as I tossed it to Mello, I was hoping I could hit him in the head but he was paying attention and caught it easily.

He dropped the chocolate onto the growing pile on the bed, the stuff was everywhere I looked!

The _snap_ as he took another bite out of his current victim made me flinch.

Matt sat on his bed avidly watching the small screen of his handheld game system, his reaction time must be incredible.

I managed to burrow through enough of the clothes to reach the floor, I imagined it felt a lot like digging a hole to America, the white carpet was a blessing at this point and I sat on my clean patch as I began sorting the trash into piles.

Mello's clothes: far left.

Matt's clothes: second from the left.

Chocolate wrappers and other trash: second from the right.

Indistinguishable: far right. This was a large pile.

"How do you live in this room?" I asked.

"I thought you lived in here." Mello smirked at me.

"Shut up about that!" I didn't want to explain to him that this would be my room in six years but it was his now.

He took another loud bite out of his chocolate bar, I swear he's just trying to annoy me.

"Will you to keep it down? I'm almost on the final level." Matt mumbled from his bed-nest across the room. I hadn't gone _near _his half of the room yet.

"If it matters so much then shut up and concentrate already." Mello answered as he dropped another chocolate wrapper onto the thinning sliver of visible carpet.

"If you keep dropping trash on the floor, like that, I'll never finish!" I protested.

"Quit whining, you're staying here for free, after all." Mello almost sounded like he was bragging.

Jerk.

"Cut it ou– aww, _now_ look what you made me do..." Matt complained as his game made a rather pathetic sounding beeping noise.

"Oh boo–hoo, Matt." Mello scoffed as he opened another chocolate bar.

"Stop with the chocolate! That's the fifth bar you've eaten in the last ten minutes!" I shouted at him.

"Hey, I'm hungry."

"Then go eat your chocolate in the kitchen! I'm sick of you dropping your wrappers here!"

"I'll drop my wrappers wherever I want–" he was cut off by the door opening a fraction and a white covered head poking through the gap.

"Mello, I can hear you shouting from my room." Near stated.

"So what." Mello glared at the younger boy.

"So keep it down, Mello." Matt cut in.

I rolled my eyes and went back to work.

I continued to fold clothes and pile up trash for a few seconds before I felt someone sit down next to me. I glanced over to see Near trying to fold a airplane out of a chocolate wrapper.

Mello and Matt were arguing across the room and hadn't noticed Near yet.

"Hi." I attempted a conversation.

He looked up from his airplane for a second before repeating the word back to me. "Hi."

"Do they always fight like this?" I asked.

"No. Mello is usually too busy studying to make this much noise, that's why I came to check on them."

"Oh, so they share a room but this is the first time they've gotten in a fight?"

"Yes." he moved on to the next wrapper.

"I suppose it's my fault then."

"Most likely."

_Sigh_

The dinner bell rang like an old electronic gong, I jumped at the sound. When did they get that fixed?

Mello stopped his rant mid sentence as Matt packed up his games, obviously thankful for the distraction. Near left his half-folded paper airplane on the floor and walked out after them. Mello had just turned around to close the door when my stomach growled lake some large animal. I blushed.

"Want anything?" he asked.

"Cake, if there is any." I answered.

"Sucks for you." he stuck out his tongue like a four-year old.

"Oh well," I countered. "There's enough chocolate in here to last for a few hours." I smirked up at him and he glared like a demon.

"Don't. You. Dare." he growled.

"Hurry back." I giggled at his anger and continued to sort clothes and he slammed the door behind him.

I finally managed to decide what was clothing and what wasn't, with this victory in mind I searched for something big enough to carry all of the dirty clothes to the laundry room. I found a few large suitcases in the closet and piled the cloth into one, then I filled the second with all the chocolate wrappers and drained batteries in the room.

I had to make two trips because the cases were too heavy together, my first trip was to the laundry room to start a load of their clothes and the second was to the nearest trash can to empty the junk case.

I left the laundry going and separated the next load before walking back to the room, I had to be overly careful so that no one caught me, I didn't want to explain who I was or how I got there, mostly because neither story was believable.

Mello and Matt were still out so I cautiously approached the corner with the desk, piled high with books. There was a book case in the corner but it was completely empty, its contents were the reason I was afraid to get too close, the piles really did look shaky.

I would have left the books as they were but I had narrowed the mess down to this corner and under the bed, visions of what the "jelly" from earlier had been prompted me to sort the books first.

I started with the piles on the desk, I broke them down one book at a time and began to alphabetize them, it took forever. By the time I had started with the piles on the floor Mello and Matt were opening the door.

Matt took a few steps into the room and stopped. "Hey, Mells, our carpet's white." he marveled.

I chuckled a little before he walked up to me with a piece of cake. "It's from Mello, he just didn't want to give it to you." Matt smirked a bit as I took it, Mello heard the comment and 'humphed' he turned away from us.

Matt winked at me before crossing back to his bed.

I picked at the cake as I sorted the rest of the books, by the time I had finished I was the only one awake in the house. I took the opportunity to leave my plate down in the kitchen and check the laundry. The load was done so I changes the water and started the next one.

I snuck back into the room and curled up on the floor, Mello and Matt each had a bed, and I felt safe enough now that I could watch the carpet.

I'd always had an insomnia problem so I didn't get much sleep, but Mello's snoring did help a little.

______________________________________________________________________________

**Author's Note: **this took me about two weeks to write, but now that school is over, I should be able to get back into my routine.


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Death Note.

**Credit: **Original idea by Yami Yugi Alexander the 4th.

**Chapter 5**

**Sleep**

It had been three days since I had first woken up in 2003, it was a weird feeling being twelve years old before I was born. It was weirder, still, being Kira before the case had started.

The first murder of the Kira case was committed on November 28th 2003, today is September 4th 2003. I had over a month before my alias would get me in trouble. Mello and Matt still hadn't bothered asking my name, Matt didn't really care and Mello enjoyed calling me 'girl' or 'kid' because he saw how much it annoyed me.

I was still waiting for my father to show up, it had been three days and all I had been doing was laundry. Mello had been giving me his dessert because I couldn't leave the room without being seen, he would always have Matt hand it to me but it was obviously from him.

The room was clean now, it had only taken two days and Mello had gone through the trouble of finding me a sleeping bag. It was weird how much effort he put into keeping me in a good mood, we still argued of course, but it was almost like playing a game with a friend now.

"-hey, you're not answering me again." Mello complained.

"Hmm? What did you say?"

"I _asked_ what do you want for dinner?"

"Why ask, you never get me what I want. In fact, I'm starting to think you're avoiding whatever I ask for." I frowned.

"Ha, like I'd waste the effort." he sniffed.

"Hey, Mells, it's been three days, right? If I was meant to find my father how do you think it would work?" I asked.

"Don't call me that. And you've asked me this six times now, and I've answered you. Six times."

"Well, answer it one more time, please." I rolled over onto my stomach and watched him from my new position on my sleeping bag.

"Like I've said –six times– if you were 'meant' to meet you dad, he'd either show up in front of you or you'd be drawn to him somehow." he answered looking bored, but answering seriously.

"Yeah, that's what I thought but... if he was going to show up... he would have done it in three days, you know?"

"Maybe he's really old! or he can't drive! Oh! Or maybe he's on the run from the police for something!" he collapsed into laughter on his bed, he's not taking me seriously.

"Cut it out! There's no way my dad's a criminal!" I hope. Six years worth of criminals are going to be killed by Kira, starting next month.

_The Kira case..._

Wouldn't it be interesting if I was there to see it happen. I know what the murder weapon is, and there's obvious evidence in the Kira records to show that L met Kira at some point... if I could find Kira I _could_ meet L.

But I'm here to find my father. I should be looking for _him_, not L.

But Kira is a big problem for L, what if I sent information to the task force about the death note? I could look for my father and still help L stop Kira, it would only help with the speed of the case but that'll save lives anyway...

"Hey, _Kid_!" Mello practically shouted at me. "You're spacing out _again_!"

"Stop calling me Kid!" I yelled back.

"Would you rather I call you _laundry girl_?" he asked with fake concern.

"Jerk." I stuck my tongue out at him and turned away.

He started laughing like an idiot.

_The Kira case._

I could stop it if I got there fast enough.

I don't have the death note Ryuk gave me, it's back in my room in 2016. And since Ryuk hasn't showed up again for three days it's a fair guess to make that the Ryuk in this time period doesn't know I own his notebook and he won't be showing up.

He said he had been Kira's shinigami... I wonder if I can still see him...

"Fine starve." Mello stated before leaving the room. I think I missed something.

He brought me cake anyway and watched me eat it this time instead of staring at the walls or floor.

I made another laundry run at about midnight, Mello wasn't asleep yet, he was studying for some kind of test and wouldn't let me help. I didn't tell him that I had higher test scores then him. It hadn't happened yet anyway.

"So how long are you staying?" he asked me after a few minutes of reading over his shoulder.

"I don't know, if my dad doesn't show up this week I'll go looking for him, so three more days? I guess." I wasn't sure wether or not I wanted to help with the Kira case. And meet L.

"I really don't think your dad'll come after this long. I mean how old are you anyway?"

"Twelve, thirteen in four months."

"I'm older."

"Congratulations."

More silence.

"You don't seem too happy about me leaving? Will you miss me?" I was teasing.

"Of course not, I'll get bored with you soon anyway. All you are is the stowaway who cleans the room. I won't miss you at all."

"... Good to know." ouch.

"Where do you plan on looking?" he asked after another few minutes.

"I'm not sure yet, that's why I'm taking a few days to decide."

"Don't waste too much time." he said, it almost sounded like he was worried. "He may get arrested." he smirked, joking to lighten the mood.

"I know he's not a criminal." I stated, but after meeting Ryuk I wasn't as sure. What if my dad was Kira?

What if I was sent to Wammy's so they could watch me?

_That's stupid._

Dad's not a criminal.

I bet he's one of the investigators on the Kira case! I'm not Japanese so maybe he was one of the FBI agents... wait, they were from America... I'm in England. What if he was a single father and L took pity on me because I was orphaned?

_That's stupid too._

Just because he was alive before the case but note after doesn't mean he was involved in the case... maybe he was old...

No, he probably just died in an accident or something. A coincidence.

"You're talking to yourself." Mello poked my shoulder. "It's getting annoying."

"Oh, sorry." I didn't know I was talking out loud.

"Whatever."

He looked back over his books one last time before turning back to look at me directly.

"... I'm going to bed." he told me.

_Evasion?_

"Ok." I answered.

He got up and maneuvered around me to the bed. I sat in my chair for a few more seconds before moving to my sleeping bag.

He rolled over under the covers and started snoring, it wasn't loud enough to be annoying but no where near quiet enough to go unnoticed.

If I went to Japan I could help stop Kira. L's going to catch him anyway but it takes him six years, if I helped he'd be caught in no time at all, but if I go to help L I may never meet my father...

Or... Mello could be right, I could be drawn to my father somehow and what's more drawing then helping with the Kira case? My mother was British and I was practically born at Wammy's but my father could be anyone, he might just be a traveler or something.

I sighed and looked up as Mello shifted in his sleep.

I want to help with the Kira case. If my father doesn't show up in three days I'll go to Japan, I mean it's _L_ who's going to be there, meeting L is every Wammy's kid's dream. This is a once-in-a -life-time chance!

Mello mumbled something in his sleep and rolled over towards me.

I got up out of my sleeping bag and sat by his bed for a while, he was almost cute when he wasn't awake.

After about half an hour of watching him sleep I decided to mess with him. I climbed into bed with him and curled up into a ball. He really was warm and before I knew it I was asleep.

______________________________________________________________________________

**Author's Note: **Ok, five chapters! Now I get to start writing it live! Yay! I'm posting early due to a beach trip, I'm actually leaving my room! =D


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Death Note.

**Credit: **Original idea by Yami Yugi Alexander the 4th.

**Chapter 6**

**Bonding**

I guess Mello woke up before me this time because when I opened my eyes I was back in my sleeping bag, the strange part was that he must not have been angry at me because there was a blanket covering me and a plate of cake on the floor in front of my face.

Mello was lying on his bad with his arms crossed behind his head as he stared at the ceiling, he didn't seem to notice that I was awake.

I lay still and watched him for a while longer. Mello and Near were involved in the Kira case, Mello had been the second best at the house so a little over a year into the Kira case he left the house for some reason and Near left soon after. Mello and a red-haired smoker who must have been Matt showed up in Japan after five years and were both killed for attempting to kidnap Kira's spokesperson.

Matt was shot by Kira supporters which explains why his life span ends but Mello died that day too so why is his life-span still longer then Matt's?

_I wish Ryuk had been more helpful that night, or at least more talkative, I could get a lot of information from a bragging shinigami. _

With a confused sigh I sat up and grabbed the plate and fork Mello had left me.

"You've been staring at me haven't you?" Mello asked, without looking down at me.

"How did your test go?" I asked him in return.

"You didn't answer my question."

"You didn't beat Near." I guessed, expecting him to shout at me for it but he didn't say anything.

I ate my cake in silence while I waited for him to start another conversation.

"So who were you?" he asked after a while.

"What do you mean?"

"Don't avoid the question, how did you randomly show up in my bed that day? You must have a life to talk about."

"It's a weird story."

"I could guess."

I sighed at the thought of convincing him I was sane.

"What if I told you I was Kira?" I asked, genuinely curious.

"Who?"

"It's just my code."

"You have a code?"

"Yep, just like yours, _Mello_."

"So you're really from Wammy's?" he asked me.

"I will be." I answered. It wasn't a lie.

"I thought you weren't going to tell Roger you're here." he reminded me.

"I won't."

"Whatever." end of story.

He was still staring at the ceiling.

_Mello ends up dead at the end of this._

_Matt too. _

Maybe it's worth it to help with the case, to save them. Near leaves the house too, around the same time, and he's never seen again. I wonder what happens to them...

It would be stupid to just ask _'hey Mello how will you die?'_ but maybe his life span is longer then it was because I help with the case and he doesn't die? But Matt's isn't longer at all...

"What place will you be?" Mello asked me after ten or so minutes of silence.

"Place? First." I responded, he must have meant in the line to succeed L.

"Good luck."

"I'm going to Japan. For sure." I stated.

"How?" he asked.

"I'm not sure. I can hack a little, I could make a file for myself and pretend I'm a Japanese citizen coming back from a vacation..."

"Or you could use Matt's passport."

"What? How?" I asked.

"We can put you in his clothes and apply some makeup, you could pass for a boy." he smirked.

"I couldn't just use yours? I could even wear a dress that way." I shot back.

Mello scowled. "It's easier to go from black to red then black to blonde, temporarily."

"I am _not_ dying my hair." I stated, firmly.

"Only temporarily."

"No."

"Why not?"

"I might look like my father, I bet he has black hair so I won't risk not having that resemblance when I first get to Japan." I improvised. Really I just hate hair dye, the chemicals could kill a person.

"What about a wig?"

"No. Too itchy."

"You want to get to Japan, or not?" he spat, sitting up and glaring down at me.

I set my empty plate on the ground– when did I finish that?– and crawled into bed with him, he didn't push me out but he eyed me suspiciously as I pulled the covers up over me.

"Don't be so pushy, we don't need to plan this now, I still have plenty of time. I'll think of something." I assured him, lying back onto the pillows, his bed was much more comfortable then the floor.

"Tch," he scoffed, "if you want to be number one, I suggest you change your style a bit, L would never pick someone who just lets the ideas 'come to them' he goes out and find his facts."

Ouch, that one hit where it hurt... wait...

"You know L?" I tried to sound care–free but I didn't do a very good job of it.

"I've only met him once..." Mello smirked and made a show of laying down next to me with his head on his arms. Not looking at me.

"What's he like?!" I couldn't hold it in.

I rolled over, nearly on top of him, and shook his arms, ruining his show of calm disinterest.

"Cut it out!" he tried to shove me off but failed, I did stop shaking him, though.

"_Please_ tell me what he's like." I insisted, laying on my stomach on top of him.

His ego consented.

"He's brilliant, for starters, and younger then you'd think. He's actually pretty tall but he slouches over–"

"–no way–"

"–_and_," he stressed the word to stop my interruption. "He has really messy hair and his clothes are old and too big for him, but when he opens his mouth, no matter what he says, you can tell it's him..." he stopped talking, watching the ceiling absently, while deep in thought. Like the thought alone was enough to worship.

"I don't believe you." I stated.

"It's true, you'd never pick him out of a crowd as L, he sits differently and eats nothing but cake and he doesn't seem very comfortable around people but that's L, I swear it is." he insisted.

"No, Mello, very funny, but you're describing a male version of me." I frowned. He's such a liar.

"Yeah right, don't flatter yourself." he rolled over and I fell onto the floor.

"Ouch." I stated, more for his benefit then out of actual need for the expression.

"Will you miss me?" I asked after a few minutes of sitting on the floor.

"You keep asking me that, why?"

"Because you haven't answered honestly yet." I stated.

"I've answered honestly every time; no, I won't." he said.

"... I don't believe you." I stated, flatly.

______________________________________________________________________________

**Author's Note: **Happy Monday! This wasn't a very technical chapter but it has it's purpose, I promise. Thanks for reading and thanks for the reviews!


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Death Note.

**Credit: **Original idea by Yami Yugi Alexander the 4th.

**Chapter 7**

**Planning**

"So if we can get passed the security people we should be fine?" I confirmed again.

"Obviously, we can forge you a ticket, all you have to do is pretend to be Matt to get passed security, the picture on the passport is a few years old so we can put a hat and goggles on you and no one will know the difference." Mello explained. "It'd be even easier if we could dye your hair..."

"No."

"Fine, a hat it is, then."

"I don't see why she can't use yours, Mells." Matt complained, not looking up from his game.

"I'm not wearing goggles in my picture, _Matt_." Mello shot back.

"I only have one pair, I need them back after this." Matt mumbled.

"I'll give them back after they confirm I'm you." I assured him.

"Unfortunately, the only airport we can get to without a car is pretty small, they only send international flights once every few weeks. The next Japanese flight isn't until the tenth." Mello mentioned.

The tenth was cutting it close, it only gave me one month and eighteen days to get from the airport in Narita to Tokyo. But it gave me over a month to figure out where the notebook will first show up...

"That's fine, I can wait. Unless you're anxious to get rid of me?" I knew his answer.

"Like I care, you're doing the laundry after all." Mello sniffed.

"It's settled then, but if I'm staying some things need to change, like my sleeping arrangements, I want a bed." I stated.

"You're not getting mine." Mello frowned.

"I don't mind sharing, but sleeping on the floor is killing my back." I tried to soothe his pride.

He glared at me, I saw the 'share with Matt' look cross his face, and so did Matt.

"I'm not sharing a bed with your girlfriend." Matt stated.

"She's not my girlfriend!" Mello shouted back.

I stifled laughter at how badly he took that jab.

Matt barely glance up at him as Mello fumed over the accusation.

"You two could share a bed and I could have the other one." I suggested.

"No, I'm not sharing with Matt." he frowned deep in thought about his options, then his face brightened as a plan dawned on him. "You can share a bed with me," he smirked, "but, I'll have you know that I sleep in my underwear." he seemed to believe that would creep me out.

"Alright." I smiled back at him. "Not like it'll matter, I sleep in my underwear too." I almost started laughing at his face. He was really blushing. But that had been a lie, and he caught it.

"No you don't." he insisted, almost afraid of being wrong.

"You're right, I don't but the look on your face is worth starting." I laughed out loud this time.

"You wouldn't." he seemed so menacing at that moment, I almost pinched his cheeks like a proud grandmother.

"Don't worry, I wouldn't." I smirked. He was afraid.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

_September 22__nd__ P.M. 11:02_

if the 23 day rule was real, there was a good chance I would die as soon as I fell asleep. The only reason I was laying in bed and not writing my will was that I had specified the year 2016 as when I would die.

But there was still a chance I would keel over in one hour because the notebook can't keep me alive for more then 23 days.

Then again, I'm not born yet so I don't have the notebook yet so I couldn't have written my name 23 days ago because this is the year 2003 and I wrote my name in 2016. If I'm lucky.

Mello is clingy in his sleep.

He won't admit to it in the mornings but he doesn't let go of me for more then a few minutes a night. He's unconscious of course, so it doesn't mean anything.

But I think I'll get him a teddy for his birthday, anyway. I'll send it from Japan just in case he takes it the wrong way.

_P.M. 11:34_

I sighed and Mello shifted in his sleep.

He sure is warm, I had my back to him but his arms were wrapped around me so it was obvious how different our body temperatures were.

I almost regret that he'll wake up tomorrow morning and pretend this never happened, again. It's not like we're dating or anything, and he knows it, but he still feels embarrassed about sharing a bed with me _and_ not staying on his own side.

He's cute when he sleeps, he mumbles about chocolate a lot and his snoring isn't too annoying.

Wait... there's nothing weirder then me thinking _Mello_ is cute.

_Even if he is._

I drifted off to sleep at P.M. 11:57, on September 22nd 2003.

It was noon when I woke up, I was still in bed but Mello was gone. Probably out to lunch.

There was a plate of cold pancakes on the table by the bed, no proper syrup but Mello knew me better then that by now. There was a bottle of chocolate sauce behind the alarm clock.

I ate my pancakes in silence, I didn't die in my sleep, I just slept late. I could die when I went to sleep tonight or collapse from a heart attack anytime throughout the day.

What a depressing thought.

I looked down at the empty plate in my lap. Another meal gone, I should pay more attention.

I had told Mello I was Kira almost a month ago now, I had put a lot of thought into the announcement but it wasn't until a few days ago that I figured out how it could work in my favor.

L has always hidden his face and name, I don't know what he looks like– there's no way Mello was telling the truth– so the only way I would be able to find him is by going to the hotel where he first meets with the task force, the name of the hotel and the room number was in the Kira case book.

The down side of this plan was that if I couldn't get in to see him during that meeting, I wouldn't be able to find him until almost six months later when he moves into a building permanently. There's a huge gap in the information between the first meeting with the task force and the first few days in the new building.

So Mello was my back up plan, when the killings start and the murderer becomes Kira, he'll think it was me and tell Roger who'll tell Watari and L will come looking for me. The name alone isn't enough to convict me as Kira so I can stay with him and help him investigate.

Mello and Matt walked back into the room, laughing at some unknown joke one of them had made.

Mello looked up at me and smiled, genuinely this time, before crossing the room and handing me the lemon bar he had saved from lunch. I took it without opening my mouth, the smile had turned my brain off, I couldn't think of a reason for the expression.

"You slept in for a while, you missed breakfast." Mello stated, sitting on the side of the bed and leaning back on the pillows.

"Yeah, guess I was tired for a change." I answered.

He watched me as I raised the lemon bar to my mouth but something was wrong.

"Why'd you bring me lunch? You never bothered with it before." I asked.

"You seemed upset about something yesterday," he shrugged watching me holding the lemon bar "I thought this would cheer you up."

"Oh, thanks." I smiled at him and took a bite.

"Or piss you off." Mello continued as a terrible bitter taste filled my mouth.

The face should have been obvious enough.

"Salt! You jerk, I'll kill you for this!" I spit the salty lemon bar back onto the plate and leapt out of bed, chasing Mello around the room until the taste had left my mouth and he had gotten tired of running.

Matt was trying to hide a smirk behind his game by the time Mello collapsed, laughing onto the floor.

I dropped down next to him and watching him crack up was enough to start me laughing at my own expense.

We sat on the floor and laughed together until Mello decided to open his mouth again.

"I thought you were going to kill me." he teased.

"I'd never kill anyone, _Mells_, you knew that or you wouldn't have pulled something like this." I smiled sweetly at him. "I will get you back though, when you least expect it." I promised.

There was no way I'd die today. I had to be around to get my revenge, I hate salt.

______________________________________________________________________________

**Author's Note: **Here's chapter seven, I have a friend who had a traumatic lemon bar experience so I though it'd be fun to include. Thank's for reading and thanks for the reviews!


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Death Note.

**Credit: **Original idea by Yami Yugi Alexander the 4th.

**Chapter 8**

**Motion Sickness**

After almost a month of waiting for the flight, Mello, Matt and I were finally getting ready for the airport.

Matt wasn't coming with us because I was using his passport but Mello was going to walk me there and watch me board the flight.

Matt was trying to fit my hair under a dirty, green cap while Mello applied makeup to give me a skin tone closer to Matt's.

"Mells, it's not going to fit. Don't you ever brush your hair?" He complained pulling the hat back off of me and letting a large chunk of black, messy hair fall into my eyes.

"I never expected it to fit, it would look too fishy if you were bald anyway." Mello calmly stated.

"So what did you have planned to fix it?" I asked him.

"Well, since you won't let us dye it; tomato sauce." Mello announced.

"Mello, no! My hat!" Matt complained.

"Hey, my _hair_!" I joined in.

"We only need it until we get passed security, you can wash it out in the bathroom by the gate." Mello assured us.

"Tomato sauce _stains_, Mells, really badly, it'll never come out." Matt whined.

"Like you care, you never even wear this hat anymore." Mello reminded him.

"Won't tomato sauce just make my hair look greasy and brownish?" I asked.

"Maybe, but the hat'll cover most of it anyway, this is just for the ends." Mello told me.

"And it'll wash right out?" I raised an eyebrow at him.

"Yeah, if it makes you feel better I'll even bring you some of those dainty travel shampoos to wash your hair with, I'm sure Roger collects them." He's mocking me.

"Fine, do what you have to." I agreed.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

At the airport Mello and I passed security without a hitch, they took the passport and didn't even question the terrible dye job.

I went strait for the bathroom.

"Took you long enough." Mello complained as I walked back out of the women's restroom with Matt's hat and goggles in my hands.

"We were lucky Matt's hair is such an unnatural color, they may have looked closer if it wasn't." I ignored his comment.

My hair was wet and messier then before but it was clean.

"So how much longer until I board?" I asked.

"Half an hour until the plane gets here." He answered.

"Do you have my ticket?"

"I thought you had it." he smirked.

"Mello."

"Yeah, right here." he pulled the ticket out of his front jacket pocket.

We took our seats by the large window that overlooked the runway and waited.

"Can't wait to have a bed to myself again." Mello broke the silence.

"Yeah, me to." I answered.

"Where are you planning to stay?" He asked.

"I'll figure it out when I get there, I guess."

"Good luck."

"I will get you back, you know. For those salty lemon bars." I reminded him.

"Good luck."

"You sound depressed."

"Good luck."

"Mello."

He smirked at me.

"Will you miss me?" he asked.

"Of course, Mells, I liked living with you and Matt, you're good company." I smiled at him. A man in his mid forties sat down on the other side of Mello and checked his watch, his name was Thomas Richardson and he was going to die in two hours and six minutes.

I sighed at whatever tragedy would cost him his life.

That's when the announcement happened. _2:15 flight to Narita, Japan now boarding. At gate G6._

The man relaxed and grabbed his briefcase as he stood to walk towards his gate. G6, the flight was more then two hours and six minutes long and he was boarding my plane which meant he was going to die on that plane.

"That's your flight." Mello told me.

"Hold on a second." I watched as another man boarded the flight, he was also going to die in two hours and six minutes, then a woman and her daughter passed on their way to the gate.

"What do you mean 'hold on?' you're not getting teary or anything, right?" He asked.

"Mells, I think there's something wrong with that plane."

"Wait, what? How would you know?"

But I wasn't listening to him, I had gone after the woman and her child who was talking to the man collecting tickets at the gate.

"Ma'am?" I tried to get her attention, Mello hadn't followed me. "Excuse me, Ma'am?"

She turned to look at me, her daughter clinging to her skirt, she was young probably less then seven and she was going to die in two hours and six minutes.

"Yes?" the woman asked, Caroline Erickson and her daughter Marta.

"Don't get on this plane, Ma'am, I think there's something wrong with the engine." I pleaded, Marta looked up at me confused.

"How would you know that?" she asked, I must look like a stupid kid pulling a prank.

"I saw the mechanics checking the inside of the plane so I asked what they were looking at and they said there might be some problems with it." lie.

"Have you mentioned this to anyone? I'm sure the mechanics think it's fine if they're flying it." she didn't believe me.

"Ma'am please, if you get on this plan something really terrible could happen." I couldn't let her board with such a young girl in tow.

"If you think there's something wrong with the plane I suggest you take it up with a mechanic or at least some one who works here." she wasn't listening. Ok, new plan.

"Ma'am, why are you going to Japan?" I asked.

"Well, my husband is in Japan on a business trip so we're going to meet him there and stay for a few weeks." she answered.

"Ma'am, if you get on this plane there's a chance that you and your daughter will never make it to Japan." that sounded like a threat." "Wouldn't it be safer to talk to the mechanics yourself first? If I try to say something to anyone here they'll just ignore me. I am still a little girl, after all." I hope that strikes a chord with her.

I didn't wait for a reply, I just walked back to Mello who was watching me with an extremely irritated expression.

"What was that about?" he half questioned, half complained.

I glanced over my shoulder at the woman who was talking to the man at the gate again, her daughter was still clinging to her skirt and watching me.

"Let's go home, Mells, I'll wait for the next plane."

"Are you crazy? This ticket wasn't cheap!" he waved it in my face.

"I'll find a way to pay you back, you'll find out why later." I promised.

"This better not be your way of 'getting me back' for the lemon bar thing." he threatened me, prodding my chest with the ticket as if it were a dagger.

"I swear it's not."

"Why won't you get on?" he sighed.

"The plane is going to crash." I told him.

He didn't believe me. "And how would you know that, exactly?" he asked.

"I just know, Mello, and I'm not getting on so lets go home already." I growled at him.

"Fine, whatever." he mumbled.

We started on our way to the exit as we passed the Caroline and her daughter I looked back at them one more time.

Marta was still clinging to her mother's skirt and watching me as I passed, I tried to smile at her reassuringly but my attempt was a bit sad.

"I don't wanna die, Mommy..." Marta whispered.

Caroline looked down at her daughter and a slight twinge of fear crossed her eyes. "We won't die, sweety, I promise." she assured her, but the fear was still there.

I turned back to Mello and we left the building together, I didn't see Caroline turn back to the man at the gate. I didn't see their life spans change.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

"Mells, you're back early." Matt mumbled from behind his game. "Couldn't stand to watch your girlfriend leave?" he teased.

"Shut up, Matt." Mello mumbled, Matt looked up.

"What's eating you?" he asked, I passed through the door and into the room behind Mello.

"She's still here." Mello grumbled as if that were the answer to his question.

I didn't comment, instead I crossed to the mini T.V. that was in the room and turned on the news, it was more then as two hour walk from the airport to Wammy's so those people would be dead by now.

_And in other news, a local airport has been closed down for inspections after the flight crew for one of the planes was discovered drinking on duty. There were a few hints that suggested more drunk pilots which led to the inspection of all crew members for all flights leaving from Winchester airport. The airport will be closed until further notice due to..._

"Hey, Kira, you were right, drunk pilots can crash a plane but... how did you know...?" Mello asked em, Matt paused his game to watch the report.

They were going to be alright, Thomas and Caroline and little Marta... an interview with Caroline showed that they still had years left...

______________________________________________________________________________

**Author's Note: **Yay! Finally something happened, I like the name Marta... Thanks for reading and thanks for the reviews!


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Death Note.

**Credit: **Original idea by Yami Yugi Alexander the 4th.

**Chapter 9**

**Clear for Takeoff**

"I can't believe you did this." Matt mumbled.

"I can't believe you let him do this." I commented.

Mat was gluing clumps of his hair to the inside of the hat, he had actually let Mello cut his hair short so they didn't have to use the tomato sauce again.

"What was wrong with the last plan?" Matt moaned as a chunk of hair dropped onto the floor.

"The whole place was inspected and tons of new people were hired to cover the people who got fired for drinking, it makes sense that the security people will be paying attention this time." Mello explained. "Last time we got in because your hair is such a weird color that the tomato sauce could pass for a bad dye job but this time they might really check whether or not the color is natural."

"You couldn't just get a wig? This'll take forever to grow back out." Matt whined.

"I only cut off an inch worth of split ends, you baby, it's not like I shaved your head." Mello frowned as he finished applying the makeup that I was almost used to wearing after the first time.

It was November 27th, the day before the Kira killings officially started. The airport had been closed for over a month while more then half the staff was fired and replaced, then there was another two week wait for the one Japanese flight to come in again.

Now I was being dressed as Matt for the second time in order to pass the new security team and board the flight.

"You'd better get on this one, Kira." Mello threatened me as he handed me Matt's passport.

"What, Mells, you don't like having me around?"

"It was supposed to be a three day stay, remember? Then it became one month and _then_ it turned into a two and a half month stay because that stupid pilot couldn't handle his alcohol." Mello grumbled.

"Well, I'm leaving today for sure." I promised.

We passed through security easily, no one questioned my hair and the goggles made me look like a smoker so no one asked to see my face either. Surprisingly, Matt was wearing the goggles in his passport picture.

We found our way to the gate and waited for the plane to arrive. It was mostly silent in the waiting room and I spent a lot of time checking everyone's life span just to make sure.

No one was going to die today.

Finally the plane landed and people started boarding.

I stood up and walked to the gate, but before I got on I turned back to look at Mello who was watching me from his seat.

He seemed to be hiding how upset he must have been, anyone would bond after two months of sharing a bed and picking on each other.

"Hey, Mells." I called back to him.

"Don't call me that." he mumbled, standing up.

"Oh, right, sorry _Mello_." I smirked at him, he took it as a challenge and walked over to me in a huff.

"What's that supposed to–"

I cut off his shouting with a quick kiss on the lips, he stopped talking and watched me as I back away towards the gate.

"I told you I'd get you back when you least expect it." I smiled, but it was a real smile this time, kissing him had felt nice.

He blinked a few times before glaring at me. "That was my first kiss!" he shouted as I retreated further towards the plane.

"It was mine too." I stated, before showing my ticket to the man by the door. "And I'm glad I didn't waste it."

He didn't respond as I boarded, instead he just stared after me, probably trying to think of a response that fit the moment.

I had a window seat on the side of the plane that faced the waiting room so I could watch Mello through the wall sized window in the building. He was standing completely still, running his fingers over his lips over and over again, staring at the gate.

I started waving my arms like a crazy person, trying to get his attention from the small plane window, I must have caught his eye because he looked over at the plane and searched the windows for me.

I waved at him and he slowly raised a hand to wave back. Then I made a phone with my right hand and placed it by my ear, mouthing 'I'll call you' and pointing at him. I didn't have his number but L would, no doubt.

Mello rased his hand and waved at me again, this time he smiled a little, a genuine smile that made me want to run back to the gate and kiss him again.

When the engine started we were still trying to silently communicate through the windows, I watched him stand and watch until the plane turned away from the building and sped down the runway.

The full implications of what I had done didn't come crashing down on me until the plane was in the air and I could remove my seatbelt.

I had just kissed Mello.

And he had liked it.

I was definitely going to call him as soon as I found L.

I reached into my front pocket and wrapped my fingers around the large bundle of money Mello had given me earlier.

"_Wow, Mells, where did you get all this?" _

"_I've been saving it, it's the money I use to buy chocolate."_

"_And you're giving it to me?"_

"_Not everyone takes manual labor as a form of payment, hotels aren't free, you know."_

"_... thanks, Mells..."_

I don't know the exchange rate from English money to Japanese money but regardless, this is a lot of spending money for someone like Mello to give away.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

By the time the plane had landed it was past midnight so the busses and trains had stopped running, I didn't have any luggage with me so walking wasn't too much of a problem but Tokyo wasn't near by, it would take forever to walk compared to taking a bus in the morning so I found a bench and curled up for the night.

I didn't get much sleep, it was late November and very cold because of it so I was forced to sleep in the fetal position, wrapped in a jacket– another gift from Mello– until I finally gave up on resting and started walking towards the nearest bus station.

The sun was rising by the time I reached the station and checked the schedule for the day, I was ten minutes too late to catch the first bus to Tokyo so I sat and waited for the next one.

In the first few weeks of the investigation L suspected that Kira was a student in the Kanto region of Japan. So the most obvious step to take is to find a school with a student smart enough to be Kira. The easy part was finding the student; Yagami Raito, a student a Daikoku private academy.

He was the top student in the country and had held that position for longer then anyone else, he was also the only student in the Kanto region that was in the top five. Even if he wasn't Kira, starting at his school was a decent idea.

But, the death note was first used about two hours after classes end at Daikoku so it stands to reason the notebook was dropped during school hours and tested after Kira got home.

All that means that this bus isn't going to get me there fast enough to pick it up first.

It's a shame but not too bad, after all, I want to meet L more then I want to stop Kira, that sounds twisted but L is _L_, he's the genius that everyone at Wammy's strives to be.

I want to see his face and watch him solve the Kira case, obviously I plan on stopping Kira faster then L originally did but that doesn't mean I can't watch my idol work for a while, it what I've always wanted to do.

The bus finally showed up and I pay the fee before getting on, I sat in the very back and watched the other passengers board.

The bus ride was more peaceful then the bench was and before I knew it I was sound asleep.

The brakes woke me up at my stop and I got off, looked around and then started walking in a random direction until I came to a street sign, I had memorized the directions to Daikoku so it wasn't hard to figure out where I was, I checked my watch– my new on, the original was gone for good– it was about 5:30 P.M. the first victim, Kurou Otoharada, died a little before 6:30 P.M.

I couldn't find the notebook at this point, Kira probably had it already and he's going to test it soon.

Daikoku Private Academy was deserted by now so I walked around the campus a few times before giving up on finding the notebook lying around.

There was never any information on the notebook itself in the Kira case book and with all the gaps in the investigation log it wasn't strange that Kira's identity was never publicized.

All the information there is in the book is really thorough but the gaps make it impossible to solve the case without knowledge of the notebook and how it works, whoever Kira was knew that and decided to join the task force near the beginning of the investigation. It was obvious that he was a member of the investigation team, or at least related to a task force member, because the FBI was brought in to investigate the NPA.

So if Kira is Yagami Raito, everything fits because Yagami Soichiro is the one heading up the task force.

So if it was so obvious, why did the case take six years to solve? L is investigating Kira so Yagami Raito should have been caught within six months.

Then again, the death note isn't a regular weapon, it sent me back in time after all, so I guess L had a hard time proving that it was possible to kill with a notebook, or maybe he didn't find the notebook itself until a few years in and had trouble proving that Yagami Raito was using it to kill.

It all comes back to the notebook in the end, L would have had the case solved easy if it were a normal weapon but the notebook is supernatural and untraceable.

6:25 P.M. the first victim is dead by now... let the games begin.

______________________________________________________________________________

**Author's Note: **Chapter 9! I'm not sure this turned out as well as I think, oh well. Thanks for reading and thanks for the reviews!


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Death Note.

**Credit: **Original idea by Yami Yugi Alexander the 4th.

**Chapter 10**

**Stalker**

I wish I'd brought the book back in time with me, I had it memorized but still, it would have helped convince people that Kira wasn't a god.

It had been almost a week since Kira had started killing and the general public was starting to figure things out but they were seeing these murders as a fun distraction that would stop when they got bored with it, not as a serious life-changing wave of mass murder.

If I had the book with me it's likely that I would use it as a blunt weapon to strike down the idiots rather then a wealth of information to show that Kira was _not _a good thing.

Was that Kira-like? Who really cares, even a steadfast L supporter like me would get annoyed after a while, and none of these people even know who L is yet!

It's driving me crazy, I've had to stop myself from making comments like 'L catches him in the end' and 'he's not a smart as L' countless times because of the blank looks that I receive.

L doesn't officially announce his investigation to the public until tomorrow so I've spent the past week wondering around Tokyo waiting for him to show up.

I've spent quite a few days visiting places that will later be involved in the investigation like Aoyama and the site where L builds the official task force headquarters. I feel like a useless tourist but what else can I do to occupy my time?

At first I considered following Yagami Raito but decided against it after I realized that Ryuk wouldn't remember me and I'm not sure if I can still see him. It's safer to keep my distance and it isn't even a hundred percent fact that he's Kira so it may just be a waste of time.

Not like I'm doing anything else...

I passed by a toy store on my way to nowhere so I stopped and glanced through the window, in the very front of the display was a large stuffed animal collection, they had cats and dogs and snakes but the biggest out of all of them was the bear in the middle.

The bear was light brown almost blonde and had a small red heart stitched into it's left foot, it was sitting down and looked incredibly soft... it reminded me of Mello.

I dug through my pockets for the money I had saved until now, I had enough so I walked into the store, a bell over the door ringing merrily.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

Mello walked down the hall to his room carrying a large brown box, it had come in the mail this morning and he hadn't opened it yet. There was no sender listed on the outside so it had been x-rayed and shaken like a baby's rattle until he got there to collect it from Roger's office.

He was still moping over Kira's disappearance, she had said she would call but it had been a week now and he hadn't heard from her.

Matt hadn't shut up about it since he came back from the airport looking like his pet cat had been hit by a truck and now he was getting strange mail.

The box was too large to hold while he opened the door and he refused to put it down on the ground so he banged the door with his knee until Matt came to open it for him.

"What's in the box?" Matt wondered, pausing his game to follow Mello towards the bed where he put the box down for the first time since he picked it up.

"Matt, do you have a knife?"

"Why would I have something like that?"

"Hand it over."

Matt tossed him a pocket knife and sat on his bed waiting as Mello extended the blade and cut through the packing tape.

"Who sent it?" Matt asked after a few seconds.

"Dammit..." Mello swore as he looked into the box.

He made an effort to place the knife safely on the bed before swearing several more times and closing the box again.

"What? What's in it?" Matt asked, crossing the room to try and peek at the mysteries inside the box.

Mello pulled the box away from Matt's view and tried to brush it off as nothing but Matt insisted and Mello tried to hit him.

Matt ducked under his swinging arm and grabbed the box before dashing back to his side of the room.

"Matt, I'll kill you!" Mello threatened but Matt had already opened the box and was pulling out the large blonde bear, laughing like a maniac.

"Look, Mells, someone sent you a teddy-bear!" he teased, Mello leapt at him and started to choke him, shaking him violently.

In the fray the box was knocked to the floor and a piece of white paper fluttered out.

"– Kidding, I was just kidding!" Matt insisted through his laughter and Mello's choke hold.

Mello saw the paper out of the corner of his eye and released Matt to get a closer look.

Matt sat gasping and laughing on the floor as Mello read and re-read the note.

_Mello,_

_I hope you're doing ok, I know I didn't call you but I don't have a number to call, it would be stupid to Wammy's house and ask for you so I decided to wait until I can explain why I'm calling or have someone explain for me._

_I know you probably think I'm making fun of you by sending you this bear but it liked it, it reminded me a lot of how clingy you are when you're asleep so I bought it for you. I'm not wasting your money, I promise, this bear is the most expensive thing I've bought so far and I still have a ton of money left._

_I promise I'll cal you before my birthday, that's on January 12__th__ just so you know, I never asked when your's is but you said you were older then me so I guess it's before then, I hope I didn't miss it, but either way you can think of the bear as my gift. Happy Birthday, Mello._

_Hopefully I can give you my gift in person next year. Good luck with your studies, I hope you can beat Near._

_All my Love,_

–_Kira_

Reading it once wasn't enough, so he read it again and again...

"She's Kira?" Matt asked from over Mello's shoulder.

"Matt!" Mello shouted, turning around and shoving Matt's head into his mattress.

"Hey, I was just curious, Mells, chill."

"Don't you say a single word." Mello hissed at him.

"Mells, I was just mentioning that she calls herself Kira, you know, like the killer in Japan that L went to catch a few days ago, remember?"

"I hope you're not trying to tell me that she's a murderer." Mello glared.

"Hey, I wasn't saying that, but isn't it weird? She went to Japan on the 27th, right? And the first murder was on the 28th, I think that's kind of obvious, Mells, she shows up in Japan and the next day the killings start, she calls herself Kira and she showed up here out of nowhere like magic or something, it adds up, doesn't it?"

"Matt, you met her, didn't you?" Mello spoke calmly now. "You talked to her and you saw how smart she was, if you were going to start killing people in another country would you start as soon as you got there or wait for a while to avoid suspicion? She's smart enough to figure that out at least, also she called herself Kira before the killings started but Kira was the name picked by the public for the killer, besides, she wouldn't have used the name she told us anyway."

"Mells, are you sure you're not just defending her because she signed the letter 'all my love?' how do you know she's not just messing with you?" Matt spoke softly but Mello wasn't angered by the question.

"Matt... thanks for worrying about me..." he smiled softly, Matt was more then a little worried by his sudden lack of temper. "I know she's not a killer, remember? You were there too, Matt, she said that she would never kill anyone when we gave her the lemon bars..."

"Mells..."

"Matt, trust me ok? She's innocent."

"I'll trust you if you don't throw out the bear." Matt smirked at his friend.

"Deal." Mello stated and grabbed the bear off the ground, placing it on his bed and moving the open box and the note over to his desk.

"I hope you're sure about this." Matt mumbled.

"I'm sure, Matt, so don't tell Roger. Or anyone else, she's not the Kira L's after and there's no reason to scare people into thinking she is."

"I won't tell, Mells, I promise, but aren't you worried about her?" Matt asked.

"Obviously, Matt. That's why I'm giving you until January 10th."

______________________________________________________________________________

**Author's Note: **I can't believe that Michael Jackson died from a heart attack yesterday! I was torn between mourning the loss of a human life and laughing at the weird coincidence, I can't stop thinking that someone has a death note! Anyway, thanks for reading and thanks for the reviews!


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Death Note.

**Credit: **Original idea by Yami Yugi Alexander the 4th.

**Chapter 11**

**Coincidence**

_December 30__th__ P.M. 6:47_

It's warm today, or at least warmer then it has been.

It's been snowing almost constantly and I was forced to rent a cheep hotel room to avoid freezing to death, but today was the last day I would have to wait before L and the task force would meet in room 504 of the Imperial Hotel.

Hopefully L won't mind me staying with him because I was currently standing outside a candy shop, not far from the Imperial Hotel, about to spend the rest of Mello's money.

The bell over the door chimed as I crossed the threshold, it gave me an odd sense of deja vu, the bell over the door that Mello's bear had been on the other side of had sounded very similar to that _ding_. I reminded myself for the millionth time to call Mello as soon as I made contact with L.

I kept my head down as I entered, it was still chilly outside but it wasn't snowing so it wasn't _as_ strange that I wasn't wearing shoes.

The shopkeeper greeted me with a hearty 'hello' and I looked up long enough to smile at him slightly before crossing to the back shelves.

I browsed aimlessly for several minutes before the door opened again and I glanced over my shoulder to see who had come in, the blast of decidedly cold air that rushed at me was almost enough to make me turn away but I saw the outline of spiky hair and baggy clothes before my reflexes could take over.

I stared just a little longer as the clerk greeted the new arrival and received a small, polite, smile in return.

It was rude to stare and even though I normally wouldn't care, this guy was different. He slouched terribly and his clothes were at least three sizes too large for him but that was what made him seem so intimidating; he didn't care. He walked around the store for several seconds before I stopped trying to track is position through sonar.

I went back to browsing the rack in front of me but I wasn't seeing the sweets anymore.

His _name_.

His name was what had caused the need to watch him and see what he did in the store, he was too much of a sight to really notice it at first but once I had seen it...

I hadn't believed Mello when he had told me about L, it had seemed too far from what I had expected at the time– wait, it's still too far from the truth, L wouldn't risk his life to walk to the candy store...

It's just a coincidence... this guy just _happens_ to have a very obvious name... there's no way Mello was telling the truth...

"Excuse me." a voice said.

I looked up into the face of the man who _was not _what he appeared to be.

"You should try these, they're very good." he said, his voice made him sound bored or tired, and the bags under his eyes led me closer to the second theory but at the same time his eyes were calculating and _black_ I almost didn't hear what he said I was so focused on his eyes... _they were like mine... in looks anyway_...

I looked down at the bag of candy in his fingers– because that was all he was using to hold it up– he waited for me to react, I tried to read what the candy was as fast as possible just in case he was testing wether or not Japanese was my first language.

But the candy wasn't all he was holding...

In his hand pressed up against the bag itself was the money to buy it.

Normally I would jump at a chance for free candy and he didn't seem bothered at all by the thought of paying for a stranger but my pride took a slap that it didn't need and suddenly I was _pissed_.

"What? You think I can't pay for myself?!" I shouted, the clerk was in the back room so he and I were alone. "Do I look like street trash to you?"

"No, I merely wanted to be polite." he stated, not bothered at all.

"Polite? You're joking! You decided to hand out money because it seemed polite?"

"Of course, is that a problem?" he wasn't speaking Japanese that time, it was German.

I switched languages too. "It wouldn't be if you didn't have such a smug look on your face!" I didn't catch how his features seemed to light up at my switch.

"It was my suggestion, isn't it only fair that I pay for it?" he questioned. In French.

"No, if I wanted it I would be willing to pay!" I followed into the next language without a pause.

"If you didn't want it all you had to do was say so." he commented in English.

"So why would you hand me the money first then? To test my reaction?"

He smirked at me. "Scilicet."

Damn, Latin.

"Whatever," I said in Japanese, "just remember that not everyone will take offered help." I hope that made sense with his answer.

His face fell for a moment at my loss in our game but the emotion was gone, replaced by a small smirk within seconds. "You know quite a few languages." he commented in Japanese.

I am done talking to you. "I only know five." I clarified.

"Still, that's more then most people, I'm impressed."

Like I care. "Thank you."

"Although," of course "you don't speak Latin, that's a rather important language, don't you think?"

"For your information," I couldn't just walk away "I do speak Latin, but it's my fifth language and you talk fast." I sound pathetic.

"I see."

"Well how many languages are you fluent in?" I asked, simply to challenge him.

"All of them." he stated, like it was nothing.

"All of them..." No _way_!

"You don't seem to believe me." He's smirking! That jerk!

"I believe you. After all, you seem smart enough not to criticize others unless you can best them at anything." I glared at him.

"I'm not perfect." He sounded almost hurt.

"Of course not." I sound like I'm trying to make him feel better... or at least my tone does...

"Well, I suppose I'll stop bothering you now, you really should try these." he raised the bag of candy one last time before placing it back on the shelf, paying for all of his sweets and leaving me alone by the racks of uninteresting sugar.

Jerk.

I grabbed a bag of chocolates before crossing the room to pay. They were cheep so I also brought the bag of gummy animals he had suggested over to the counter and handed the clerk the rest of my money.

Or tried to.

"You're friend said to put that bag on his tab if you decided to get it." the man said.

I resisted the urge to strangle the innocent shopkeeper.

That. Jerk.

"Well, that was nice of him, wasn't it." if the guy was going to give me free stuff then fine, not like I'd ever see him again to pay him back anyway.

I took my purchases and left the store, the bell dinging merrily behind me as I crossed the street to my hotel, it was freezing.

I sat at the desk in my room and opened the free gummies.

They were delicious.

______________________________________________________________________________

**Author's Note: **This was just a little shorter then normal and not much happened but I don't like the number eleven. Thanks for reading and thanks for the reviews!


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Death Note.

**Credit: **Original idea by Yami Yugi Alexander the 4th.

**Chapter 12**

**Guess Who**

The hotel lobby is much warmer then the front steps so I ended up waiting behind a pillar for the task force members, it's risky but I'd rather get caught by L then freeze out front.

It's ten minutes until midnight and none of the members have shown up yet but the Kira case book says that all five of the task force members come to the hotel by midnight on December 31st.

I'm not sure if L has a flair for the dramatic– new years– or if he's just not one for taking holidays off but this arrangement works just fine for me. The lobby is full of people watching T.V. broadcasts on the new year so it's easy to blend into the crowds and watch the doors.

I took another chocolate out of my pocket and unwrapped it. I'd been living off of the candy from the store yesterday, the store with the man who had such a lucky name.

Because he's not L, he's just lucky.

Of course, his first name isn't the only interesting part, his last name was _Lawliet_. That's my name.

It's not possible that a guy like that could be L and it's not possible that he could be related to me. It's just chance, he's just lucky.

For all I know, Lawliet could be a very common name... in Japan... maybe not, but he wasn't Japanese.

Anyway, he's not L and he's not related to me. I just have to keep those two facts in mind and watch the door for– there!

Soichiro Yagami and Touta Matsuda, two members of the task force.

They were both dressed in nice clothing, I wasn't planning on fitting in with them anyway but still... I would stand out.

I waited for them to get in the elevator before rushing up the stairs, I stood around the corner from room 504, next to the ice machine and waited for them to walk passed me to the door.

L had gotten a large suite right next to the vending machines so as soon as he opened the door for the task force members I could run and catch it before it closed behind them.

That was my plan at least, what I hadn't counted on was it being unlocked and even though it wasn't a bad thing it sure made me feel stupid.

The task force members walked through the door to the room on the other side, as the door swung closed I sprinted from my hiding place and dove through the door, colliding with what felt like a brick wall on the other side.

"Ouch." I mumbled , rubbing my head as the flow of introductions stopped around me.

I looked up into the stone-ish face of the man-wall. Into the face of Kanzo Mogi.

I resisted the urge to say something like 'Good morning' and brushing off my forced, or at least rushed, entry but L was in this room and that was enough for me to nurture the little pride I had left as I peeked around Mogi-san and through the parted task force to the man standing opposite them.

My pride shattered like glass on tile.

"It is you!" I shouted at the unkept man, pointing a finger accusingly at him.

He didn't seem too affected, instead he place a thumb on his bottom lip like a child and mumbled his reply around it. "I had no idea you were so offended by my actions yesterday, I do apologize." he stated, flatly.

I moved over to him, ignoring the stunned task force members completely, and looked up into his blank expression.

He was taller then me, the jerk.

"You know why I'm here." I growled at him, though there wasn't a very good chance of him actually knowing.

He held out his free hand to me and waited. "If you insist on paying me back you could have left the money with that clerk, I'm sure you could have deduced from any number of things that I would be back."

I slapped his hand down with my own and glared at him. "I'm _not_ here to pay you back, _L_, I'm here to stay with you until the Kira case is solved." I stated, mostly because I didn't have another response prepared.

"I see. And what makes you think I'll let you stay with me?" he asked, tilting his head to the side like a cartoon character.

"Because I know who you are now, you _can't_ let me leave." blackmail is illegal, but I won't let him kick me out.

"The chances of you actually telling anyone about me are incredibly low, even lower if you consider how few people are actually a danger to me."

I scowled.

"I'm still not leaving." I stated simply, I fought against the urge to sit down on the floor at his feet and pout until he lost interest in my eviction.

"Very well." he agreed.

I blinked and looked around for any kind of trick.

"Why?" I had to ask.

"I don't see why not, you're not a threat and if I kick you out now there's an 84-percent chance that you'll come back later." he stated, not seeming to care at all.

"That's right, I would be back." I agreed.

"Feel free to take a seat in the other room." he instructed, turning his attention back to the confused task force as I started walking towards the next room.

I didn't catch on until I was almost through the door.

"Hey, wait, aren't you coming?" I asked, to anyone in general.

"Why would I do that? We do have work to do." he mumbled.

He's not going to include me in the case!

"I'm helping!" I insisted, rooting myself in the doorway.

"No, there's no reason for me to let you get in the way."

_In the way?_

I stormed back over to him and wrapped both of my arms around one of his.

"Why let me stay if you won't let me help?"

"You can't help for the same reason that allows you to stay; you're not a threat. So then, it stands to reason that you aren't much of an advantage either." he answered.

"That's stupid, you have no way of knowing that I won't be a huge advantage! Besides more people on your team can't hurt." something was telling me that he didn't really intend to keep me from the case.

"What's your name?" he asked me, looking down at my death grip on his right arm with simple disinterest.

"K– call me Destiny." I answered. That was the most idiotic mistake I had ever almost made, I guess Kira really had grown on me over the years.

"Destiny." he sounded like he was trying the name out.

He reached into his left front pocket and pulled out a red sucker.

"Lollipop?" he offered.

I reached out to take it but he pulled it back.

"Hey!" I sniffed, that was cruel.

"I thought you didn't like free candy." he reminded me.

"Well, we're living together now, so you have to feed me." I insisted.

"I see, I suppose I hadn't thought of that." liar.

"Uhm... L? You wanted to see us and here we are..." One of the task force members spoke up, trying to earn back the great detective's attention.

"Yes, I apologize for the interruption. Let's all move into the other room, now." L answered, handing me the sucker as we walked.

I took the candy as a peace offering and released his arm.

I suppose he wasn't that bad, though the fact that Mello was right really did bother me.

I need to call Mello as soon as I can.

L told the task force members to leave anything electronic on the table in the first room before taking their seats in the lounge area.

I sat on the arm of his chair and watched with unnecessary fervor as he took out a black pen and began to map out his theories right onto the table in front of him.

I payed undo attention to my idol as he worked.

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**Author's Note: **There, they met up, I hope that wasn't too bad of a chapter but I'm still trying to get the technical stuff done. Thanks for reading and thanks for the reviews!


	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Death Note.

**Credit: **Original idea by Yami Yugi Alexander the 4th.

**Chapter 13**

**M.I.A.**

"Please?"

"No."

"_Please_?"

"I already promised I would let you call Wammy's if you told me why it's so important." L mumbled around his morning cake. "I don't see why telling me is such a problem for you."

I don't see either but I enjoy competing with him.

"Why do you have to pry into everything I do?" I retorted for lack of a better answer.

"As you said yourself; we are living together."

"That's not an answer." I complained, stealing a bite of cake from his, near empty, plate.

He frowned at the theft but didn't say anything about it. He had taken the benefits of living together much farther then I would have thought.

He was acting like a parent... odd as that sounds.

It had only been a few days since I had first forced myself on him and he was starting to treat me like a small child even though I would turn thirteen in less then two weeks.

"So you really won't tell me?" he asked, pouting like a five-year old.

I sighed, I really needed to call Mello. "You won't make fun of me right?" I asked, it was even more likely to happen now that I had questioned it.

"That depends on the information." I glared at him. "No, I would never make fun of you." he smiled slightly.

"I want to talk to Mello." I admitted. "I promised to call him as soon as I got here but I can't call Wammy's to get to him because Roger doesn't know who I am..."

"I don't see why you'd be embarrassed over a promise to call Mello." He pointed out. I blushed a bit.

"Right, so could you call the house and talk to Roger for me?" I asked, avoiding the main issue.

"No." he stated simply, standing up to refill his empty plate.

"Why not?" I tried not to shout.

"What's the time difference between England and Tokyo?" he asked.

"Nine hours." I answered, not seeing his point.

"Ahead or behind?"

"Tokyo is nine hours ahead... but what does that have to do with Mello?"

"So if it's 7:30 A.M. in Tokyo, what time is it in England?"

"Oh... 10:30... P.M."

"That's right."

"Well can't I call him later then?"

"I'll make you a deal; the task force will be here a eight today, if you get through an entire workday without complaining about anything I'll call Wammy's for you when they're eating breakfast. That's six o'clock tonight for us. Agreed?" he asked, sitting down with a full plate of cake and handing me my own piece.

"Yes! Thank you, L!" I smiled, getting out of my seat to give him a hug.

He tried quite hard not to respond but it didn't work and I laughed for several minutes at his discomfort.

He didn't bother correcting my use of his name, Ryuzaki was only a necessary precaution when we were around the others.

Finally returning to my cake I felt another twinge of embarrassment at how slow I was being. I had always stood ten feet ahead of everyone else at Wammy's, never once breaking a metaphorical sweat, but L, the real _L_ was walking all over me. I couldn't keep up with him and I felt stupid...

"So why do you seem so excited about a phone call to Mello?" L asked after a few minutes.

I blushed violently at the sudden images of his face after our kiss... "None of your business..." I mumbled, turning my face away.

"You're blushing... would you prefer I ask him? I'm sure he'd answer me." he smirked.

"You jerk! That's my life you're prying into, you know!" I shouted over the table, I was too late to stop my reaction and blushed even more at the thought of giving away how much it meant to me.

"I see, I'm sorry for being so intrusive."

He wasn't going to let it go.

The argument that would have followed that conversation was interrupted by the first few members of the task force arriving and instructions being issued to them.

"Oh, and Destiny?" L called back over his shoulder as he moved with the task force into the next room to watch video tapes of FBI agents dying.

"Yeah?" I answered getting up to follow.

"Could you bring me some more cake?" he requested.

Wait... I can't complain... and I can't say no. Jerk.

"Sure, what kind." I asked, smiling sweetly at him.

"Anything is fine." he smirked back at my quick unraveling of his plan.

I crossed back to the kitchen and retrieved his cake.

This is going to be a _long_ day.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

This is _boring_.

But I'm keeping it to myself because I _will not _complain.

L was watching all the footage of the agent Raye Penber at the same time, I thought it would be interesting to watch my idol work but watching him watch T.V. is _not_ interesting.

Still, I won't complain.

I've been fetching serving after serving of cakes and other sweets for the great detective L, because I refuse to blow my chance at calling Mello.

Mello had better be worth it.

"Destiny, could you get me some more cake?" L asked, innocently as he watched the monitors, he didn't even look at me.

"Right." I sat up and left the room I search of more cake for the black hole on the couch.

But I wasn't complaining.

It wasn't long after I reached the kitchen that L made his discovery, and envelope that Penber had and then didn't have was the first part.

By the time I was back with the cake the excitement was over. The jerk.

I sat and pouted through the phone call that came in from the official task force headquarters and became even more upset when I figured out what the call was about.

I came to help with the case, but the Kira case book back at Wammy's doesn't have any information about the time between L's first meeting with the task force and his moving into a permanent building. So all the time in between– like now– is completely blank to me.

And I'm missing it because of cake.

Jerk.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

The list of suspects had been narrowed down to only Raye Penber's targets. I had missed all the work put into that but one thing was obvious to me; Yagami Raito was one of them.

It annoyed me to no end that I was left out like I was, but L was making it up to me now by keeping his promise and calling Mello for me.

I had actually made it through the day without complaining even once.

L sat with a cell phone held between two fingers as he waited for it to finish ringing. That was good enough for me.

"This is L." he finally stated into the– clearly infected– phone.

I couldn't hear the other half of the conversation.

"I have someone here who wants to speak to Mello, is he free at the moment?" he continued.

Silence... lots of it.

Finally L's expression changed. "I see, and why wasn't I informed earlier?" he asked.

He listened.

"I see. Do you have any idea where they may have gone?"

_What?_

"L, what's going on?" I asked, moving closer to the phone.

"A note? Could you send me a scan of it, please?" he asked, pulling out his laptop and turning it on.

Within a few seconds a 'new message' tab appeared, it was opened to show a picture of a hand written note.

The hand writing was Mello's.

_I'm not sure what to call you,_

_My birthday's on December 13__th__, just so you know. I'm not sure this'll reach you but no one else will be able to track you down with it so it won't matter. Thank's for the bear, I'll return the gift._

_-Mello_

Mello ran away?

"Alright, keep looking for him, I'll work on it too..." a pause "because my new friend won't forgive me if I don't try. Goodbye, Roger." he closed the phone with a snap.

"Mello..." I mumbled to myself.

"What does it mean?" L asked, reading the letter on his screen.

"I don't know..."

"It's to you, isn't it? Why doesn't he know what to call you?"

"I gave him a fake name." no matter how real it feels sometimes.

"I see." he chewed his thumb nail as he watched my face. "You gave him a bear?"

"Yes, I sent him one when I got here. It was a birthday present and a way to talk to him before I could call..." my eyes widened as a thought struck. "When was the last flight to Japan from Winchester airport?" I asked.

L pulled up a quick search and found the answer in seconds. "December 24th, why Japan?"

"You're here, aren't you?"

Lie.

"So are you."

Caught.

"Either way, he would come here first if he left looking for company."

"Yes, I suppose you're right. Where does he plan to find you?"

"I... don't know..." I admitted. "I never expected him to follow me here, I never told him where I was going and Japan's too big for him to just ask around..."

"The meeting place must be in the letter then." L decided.

"It's not like the letter says 'here I am, come pick me up' there's not a lot to grab onto in three sentences."

"You said the bear was a birthday present, that could be what the first sentence means..."

I let him think on it, seeing his reasoning.

"The second sentence is assuring you that the letter isn't going to cause you problems, were you running from anything?"

"No, but I stayed at Wammy's without telling anyone for about two months before I came here, he must have been saying that leaving that note won't give me away."

"I'll have to tell Roger to pay more attention in the future."

"Don't bother, it's not like I snuck in."

He didn't ask me what the alternative was.

"The meeting place has to be here, but the third sentence is just a promise to pay you back." he mumbled.

"So, there's no clue here..."

"There is, it might just take a little longer to find." he assured me.

"Right... more time."

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**Author's Note: **That was longer then the last few but I cut out most of the investigation information, honestly I'm really tired and didn't want to copy the manga, sorry. Thanks for reading and thanks for the reviews!


	14. Chapter 14

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Death Note.

**Credit: **Original idea by Yami Yugi Alexander the 4th.

**Chapter 14**

**Distractions**

_I'm not sure what to call you,_

Mello was missing from Wammy's, it was obvious that he came to Japan looking for me, and probably L too, but me.

The problem was the place in Japan that he had gone, I couldn't remember anything he had told me that might be a clue to the meeting spot...

_My birthday's on December 13__th__, just so you know._

As far as I knew he had never been to Japan and he didn't have any relatives that he could be staying with, L had already checked that angle for me.

So where was he? I'm sitting on the bed that was supposed to be for L but I was using much more often. That makes it mine to me.

The note was printed out now and I was spending every moment of my time pouring over the three sentences on the page.

_I'm not sure this'll reach you but no one else will be able to track you down with it so it won't matter. _

Mello...

He was worried about the people at Wammy's tracking me down if he left too much information in his note... so if there was a meeting place it was probably hidden so only I could understand it.

Of course that meant that the world's greatest detective couldn't help much.

_Thanks for the bear, I'll return the gift._

How? By scaring me to death? I bet he's trying to give me a heart attack before I catch him so he doesn't have to buy me a bear...

Wait... if the bear was the gift... he'd return it... does that mean that the bear...

- - - - - - - - - - - -

L was watching the footage of Yagami Raito as he got dressed for school, Yagami-san was sitting in a chair next to him, also watching as his son left the house to walk with a friend to his academy.

Mello's disappearance was having more of an effect on his concentration then he ever would have thought, but that wasn't because he was thinking too much about Mello personally, in fact if he had been alone he wouldn't have been distracted at all by it. Worried of course, but not distracted.

It was Destiny that was distracting him, she was worried sick over the boy and hadn't left the bedroom since she had figured out he was gone, Watari had been bringing her cake and juice at meal times, obviously girls– or maybe it was children in general– had three meals a day, each at set times.

Luckily she hadn't been crying because L had no experience with crying... people actually... so a young girl crying in his room was not something he would be able to deal with and there was only so much that Watari could do for him.

The girl had insisted on studying the note overnight and over the next two days, now it was January 9th and cameras had just been installed in the Yagami and Kitamura households.

Finally, because he had needed his laptop back, L had printed out the note for her and hadn't seen her since. That had been yesterday.

Obviously she blamed herself for not being able to find a message but she would never just say that. Women were a mystery even L couldn't solve and it would only get worse with age.

Yagami Sachiko left the house to buy groceries so there was no longer much of a point in watching the empty building.

L sighed with frustration that had nothing to do with the case and walked to the kitchen to grab two slices of cake. It was time to talk to Destiny.

He crossed the room to the back door and placed one plate on a nearby table as he reached for the handle...

However, it was not meant to be.

At that moment a frantic young girl came rushing through the door, which caused said door to fly open into the face of the distracted detective. The plate of cake went flying and landed in a mess on L's white shirt.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

"_Ryuzaki_! I figured it... out... What happened to you?" I asked as I looked down on the cake-covered legend.

"Nothing." he grumbled as he crawled to him feet and passed me into the bedroom to find a clean shirt.

"Well, I found the meeting spot!" I beamed at him but he only seemed annoyed... the door _had_ hit something...

Oops.

"Sorry, I hit you?" my tome made it obvious that I wasn't sure what to say.

L pulled a clean shirt over his cake-spattered hair, effectively defeating the purpose. He notice this and frowned.

"L, I'm sorry, can we go get Mello now?" I asked, trying to pout as effectively as he does.

"Don't be sorry, I should know to be more careful when approaching a seemingly innocent door." he mumbled.

"L! Please can we go now?" I begged– though I would never admit to it– grabbing his arm and pulling him towards the main room and, thus, the exit.

He sighed and followed me through the main room, Yagami Soichiro asked if he was alright, he must have heard the crash that I missed. Or seen the door attack.

We left the hotel and walked towards the meeting spot.

"Destiny, where do you expect to find Mello?" L asked, getting over his cake trauma.

"The last sentence in the note said 'thanks for the bear, I'll return the gift' I had bought that bear here in Japan and sent it to him for his birthday, but what that sentence could have meant was 'I'll bring it back to the store' instead of 'I'll pay you back on your birthday' like I'd first thought." I explained, feeling proud of myself in spite of how long it had taken to figure out.

"Destiny, how would Mello know where you got the bear if it was a gift? He's wasn't even in the country if he got it last month and I doubt you sent him a receipt." L pointed out.

"The store I got it from was family owned and everything was home made, they sold a ton of stuffed animals and they all had labels that advertized the place. Plus it wasn't a franchise so he could find that address online if he researched the name on the tag." I explained, Mello was the type to put an undue amount of thought into something like this.

"I suppose that would make sense but what if you're wrong? I want you to promise that even if we don't find Mello here you won't lock yourself in the bedroom again." L frowned.

I stopped and turned to look back at him. "Why? Were you worried?" I asked.

"You forced yourself onto the investigation team, if you're going to insist on being included you can't be dead weight." he brushed my question aside.

Jerk.

The shop wasn't far, I turned away from L and continued walking towards my only chance at finding Mello. Rude or not, L was right– of course– I wanted to be on the investigation team more then anything and now all I was doing was moping around in my room as I searched for Mello.

But Mello had to be here, then he could help too.

The shopfront was colorful and made me feel a little better for just a moment before the empty benches out front killed my mood.

I stopped in my tracks and slid my hands into my pockets, watching the melting snow on the ground.

"He's... not here..." I mumbled, I had been so sure.

L stopped behind me and sighed, he didn't sound like a person who could deal with an upset girl.

"Mello can take care of himself, he'll be just fine..." was the unsure reassurance I received from the great detective.

The store's bell tingled merrily and I glanced up to see a head of yellow-blonde hair looking around the entrance.

"Mello!" I shouted, sprinting at the boy and nearly knocking him off his feet as I hugged him.

"Hey, get off!" he groaned as I snuggled into his neck.

"You couldn't think of an easier clue? You're lucky I managed to figure it out before you froze to death!" I shouted at him, he frowned at the switch from 'happy to see him' to 'lucky I showed up.'

"I would have left an address I'd known how bad you were at picking apart clues." he teased, I smiled, pretending not to care.

"Mells, this it stupid, why do we have to spend all day in a store full of dolls? They don't even sell video games and– hey, you found her..." Matt noticed as he left the store only to be blocked by Mello and I.

A sigh from behind me ended the reunion. "Destiny, you found him, can we get back to the hotel now?" L almost whined, but he was barefoot outside. In the snow.

"Yeah, we can go." I smiled, not letting go of Mello's arm.

"You found–" Mello started but cleared his throat to cut off the name, we were outside.

"Yes, you were right, too, I admit it." I answered his question. I found L.

"I told you." Mello bragged, completely over the fact that I was attached to his right arm and wouldn't let go.

L turned away and we followed him back to the hotel. L in the lead, Mello and I still linked together wether he liked it or not and Matt in the back playing a video game as he walked.

"Hey, whatever your name is." Mello whispered to me.

"Destiny."

"Yeah, Destiny, I... missed you too." he admitted.

I smiled and gave him a quick kiss. It was just fast enough for L not to see.

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**Author's Note: **I hope that wasn't too soft for Mello, I really tried to make this in-character. Thanks for reading and thanks for the reviews!


	15. Chapter 15

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Death Note.

**Credit: **Original idea by Yami Yugi Alexander the 4th.

**Chapter 15**

**Crowded**

If two was company then _four_ was too many.

True, Matt didn't talk much but L and I argued enough for everyone anyway.

Mello and L got along fine and I liked Mello too but L and I _didn't _always get along so Mello was caught in the middle most of the time.

Plus the task force members thought that L was running some kind of babysitting service after the three of us were caught being lectured about not eating too much. No one had dared to say anything about it but Matsuda at least thought that we were just random kids he was taking in.

Matt and Watari got along well, they were both into technology so Matt was really excited when Watari showed him how to assemble a wiretap.

But L and I didn't get along that well.

And Mello was getting annoyed.

"Don't be a baby, if you need to shower so bad then just do it!" Mello complained.

"Not with you in the room you pervert! Leave and I'll shower!" I shot back, it had only been one day since they had gotten here and we were all ready having problems with lack of bathrooms.

"I'm not waiting for you, if you wont go at the same time then get out!"

"That's disgusting, Mello! I'm not showering _with_ you and I'm not showering in front of you!" I shouted.

We can't move hotels because of the surveillance equipment, although Matt offered to help move it with more enthusiasm then he's ever show before.

"Then wait for me to finish, it'll be five minutes!" he shouted back.

"No, I'm going first so wait outside!"

"I'm not waiting, you're a girl wether you look it or not and you'll take forever!"

"You jerk!" I tried to slap him but he moved back out of the bathroom and closed the door in my face.

He won so I could shower first.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

"Mells, really, what happened to being happy to see her?" Matt asked as Mello sat down next to him on the bed.

Sharing that was another problem.

"I'm glad to see her, I just forgot how annoying she could be." Mello answered.

Matt continued to play with his wiretaps, Watari was almost better then L in his mind.

"Well I'm glad you found someone you like do much, I could here the arguing from here. What if she agreed to shower with you though? Would you have backed out if she caught you bluff?" Matt asked, jokingly.

"Oh, please, Matt, she would have chickened out before the water turned on, and I really don't care either way." Mello sniffed.

"I believe you, Mells, but I know there's something going on between the two of you, don't think I didn't see you kiss her on the way here, you'd have to be blind to miss it." he laughed.

"Shut up, Matt, she kissed me." Mello growled.

"Yeah and you liked it!" Matt had dropped his bug and was gasping for air as he laughed at Mello's expression.

"Shut _up_, Matt!" Mello shouted and tackled his laughing friend, he pinned a pillow over his face and sat on top of his legs so he couldn't escape.

Soon Matt started to gasp for air and push at the pillow, Mello continued to hold it in place so Matt, blindly, grabbed a handful of Mello's hair and pulled him forward which only added to the weight of the pillow.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

"If you two are in the middle of something, I can get dressed later..." I offered as I walked out of the bathroom to find Mello pinning Matt onto the bed with a pillow.

Mello caught me watching and rolled off his gasping friend who immediately started laughing like a maniac.

I almost walked back into the bathroom but Mello climbed off the bed and passed me through the door, slamming it with undue force. The water turned on a moment later.

I crossed to the closet and pulled out one of L's white shirts.

All three of my roommates had laughed at the fact that I only owned one outfit so I had started wearing L's shirts with my black pants instead of re-washing my dress everyday, I just wore my pants dirt.

Naturally Matt left the room as I got dressed, the towel I had been wearing was revealing enough and I had already shown that I didn't like being watched by the boys while I changed.

I didn't bother brushing my hair, I never had, but I recently figured out that L didn't either. I had almost taken up the practice.

L wasn't a bad person, I actually liked him a lot but he was such a jerk sometimes it was unbelievable. Matt had said once that Mello and I both had the same sense of pride so we were too alike to really get along at first.

Maybe L was the same but Mello and L never fought over anything other then the last slice of chocolate cake so that couldn't be it.

Another thing that still bothered me about L was his last name; Lawliet. It was the same as mine, I keep checking every time I see him but it's definitely the same.

Maybe a coincidence but really: _L Lawliet _and _Opal Lawliet_, it was too weird and I hadn't even considered mentioning it yet. Besides, even if I told him I could be related to him there was a _serious_ chance that he wouldn't believe me, but I would be born in two days so if we are related I'll find out then.

Of course, I'm also calling myself by my middle name, Destiny, instead of Opal, my first name so he may not catch that either.

No, I'm not related to L.

It would be cool though.

I left the bedroom and got some cake from the kitchen, Matt walked back into the bedroom as soon as he was sure the cost was clear so I was alone with the cake.

L and the others were still watching people shower in the main room so there was nothing for me to do at the moment.

Matsuda had started to sleep in the livingroom while L watched T.V. in the lounge apparently he was really dedicated but I think he's actually afraid to go home with Kira on the loose.

I heard the water stop in the bedroom and decided to wait a little longer before going back in.

L and Yagami Soichiro were watching the Yagami family in the lounge and Matsuda and Aizawa were watching the Kitamura family in the living room. That left the kitchen and bedroom to Mello, Matt and I to live in while they worked.

Apparently it was an invasion of privacy to let three kids watch the cameras every once in a while. Of course that meant that Matsuda was left with the night shift which caused him to fall asleep every night.

I guess that proves that L already suspects someone from the Yagami family, so why did it take so long for him to narrow it down to Raito?

There were no doors leading to the kitchen but the shuffling sound that L made when he walked made it obvious that he was entering a room anyway.

"Hey." I greeted.

He gave me a small, answering smile.

I had left the whole cake on the table in front of me so L simply grabbed a fork off the counter and sat down next to me.

"How's the investigation coming?" I asked, taking another bite of cake.

"There hasn't been any suspicious activity so far. I'm beginning to think that the cameras are pointless." he mumbled.

He always mumbles.

"You know Matsuda's been falling asleep, right?" I asked.

"Yes, I've caught him a few times now but I don't really think there's anyone in the Kitamura family worth suspecting anyway."

"Evidence of a gut feeling?"

"I'm not quite sure."

"Depressing, isn't it."

He nodded as he took another bite.

"How has your day been?" he asked.

I blinked at the useless question, small talk wasn't his thing.

"Not too bad, but we need a suite with at least two bathrooms next time." I answered.

"Not two beds?"

Was he joking? "That would help too... are you feeling alright?" I asked, placing my palm on his forehead.

"I'm fine." he frowned "I'm only trying to be polite."

"I think you remember that polite isn't my thing." I reminded him, thinking of gummy animals and money.

"Yes, I remember, we should go back to that store soon." obviously he was just thinking of gummy animals.

"You're paying." I joked.

He smiled again.

"How old are you?" I asked, almost randomly.

He raised what would have been an eyebrow.

"Twenty-four." he answered.

"Do you have any brothers or sisters?"

"Not that I know of. No parents either, just in case you were wondering."

"Oh, I'm sorry."

"It's fine, I don't remember them anyway." he sighed.

"If it helps, I don't know my parents either." I tried to cheer him up "In fact, I came to Japan to find my father." only half a lie.

"I see. What's you last name? Maybe I can help." he offered.

"You wouldn't believe me." I smiled.

"Why not?"

"I'll tell you eventually and you'll figure it out."

He didn't seem reassured at all but he smiled anyway.

"Why won't you tell me now?" he asked.

"Because, it's weird."

"My name's unusual as well, in fact I think I may be the only person in the world with it." he stated.

"You don't say..."

Wow.

Awkward.

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**Authors Note: **Nothing happened in this chapter, but I needed to explain living arrangements or it would distract me later. I'm so excited for Anime Expo, I'm going tomorrow! I'll be dressed as Misa in case anyone else is going! Thanks for reading and thanks for the reviews!


	16. Chapter 16

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Death Note.

**Credit: **Original idea by Yami Yugi Alexander the 4th.

**Chapter 16**

**Revelation**

"I've studied the tapes we got from the bugs and cameras over the past five days... numerous times." L stated to the assembled task force members.

I sat with Mello on the floor by his chair, not saying anything about the case or the surveillance being ended early.

"And my conclusion is... that of the people in the Kitamura and Yagami families, suspicious activity was observed in..."

The task force members watched his every move and Mello was just as interested but I was focusing on something else.

"Nobody." L finished, eating a chocolate as the task force relaxed. The build up was probably for dramatic effect.

Today was my birthday, my first birthday and my thirteenth birthday at the same time. It was a weird feeling knowing that right now my mother would be dying because of me while I sat between Mello and L, listening to the information that wasn't in the Kira case book.

The members of the task force were disappointed that we didn't have a suspect but Yagami Soichiro seemed much better off today then he had all week because, in his mind, his family had been cleared.

"Please don't misunderstand me. I only said 'No suspicious activity was observed.' If one of them is Kira, they simply aren't making any mistakes. They're putting criminals to death as always, without showing us how." L explained. I nearly smiled with relief, Kira was in the Yagami family.

"... So you're saying one of them might be Kira, after all?" Yagami asked.

"As I said..." L stirred his coffee "there's a five percent probability."

- - - - - - - - - - - -

Dang, it hadn't occurred to me before but if I had watched the Yagami tapes I may have been able to see Ryuk...

L had some sort of plan to get a confession but he wasn't telling anyone what it was.

It was about six at night so the task force had left for the night and I was following L around like a puppy, it probably annoyed him but he didn't say anything about it.

We were in the kitchen eating when his phone rang.

My cake was completely forgotten when he answered with 'Hello, Roger.'

"Are you sure?" he asked into the phone and listened for a reply.

"Yes, but... yes... yes, I did."

"Please. Yes."

"So it's a girl?"

"Is she named?"

"I see... what about a middle name?"

"Yes, I have an idea."

I was just openly staring now, he was talking about naming a girl.

"Destiny. Because I like the sound of it." he looked at me across the table.

I gulped audibly at the implications. He had given the girl the middle name _Destiny_...

"I see... then please keep her there... yes, thank you... I will."

Words failed me.

"Thank you, good night Roger."

Even though it was morning there.

L closed the phone and dug into his cake with a new passion.

Chocolate didn't stand a chance against him and his problems.

"What was it?" I asked. As if I didn't know.

"Personal business." he answered.

Hadn't seen that one coming.

"Who am I going to tell?" I asked.

"No one, but I'd rather keep this to myself."

I could just say it...

Or not.

"Why? What is it?"

"If I answered the second question the first wouldn't count."

"Then answer the first."

"I don't want to tell you."

"Then I'll guess."

"Was that a threat?"

"Only if you see it that way."

I served him another slice of cake as we engaged in an intense staring contest.

I let him win.

"So what's your last name?" I asked, conversationally.

"Why do you want to know?"

"I want to compare."

"Compare our names?"

"Yes, is that a problem?"

"I don't want to give out my name."

"You think I'll tell Kira?" I sounded hurt at the lack of trust.

"No, but Kira can control his victims actions before death."

"He'd have to know my name, first."

"Touche."

"So tell me."

"You first."

"Fine."

I glanced one last time at his name and assured myself that it was the same before taking another bite of my cake. L watched me.

My father watched me.

Weird thought, wasn't it?

"Lawliet." I stated, looking down at my plate "Opal Destiny Lawliet."

I looked up at him and he sighed.

"You heard my conversation." He accused.

"No, that's my name."

"I don't have a sister."

"I'm not your sister, I'm not that old." I frowned.

"I'm only twenty-four." he pouted.

"I'm not your sister." I repeated.

"Then who are you?" he fixed me with a firm stare "Roger only said the baby's first name over the phone."

"What baby?" I asked, smirking.

"You know what baby." he frowned.

"You have a daughter." I stated.

"Yes."

"Congratulations."

"Destiny."

"Did I tell you today is my birthday?"

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**Author's Note: **I cut that weird but oh well. Happy Monday, I had so much fun at Anime Expo, on Saturday, I saw twelve Ls and bought tons of stuff! I even bought an L wallet! I bet my friends reading this are rolling their eyes at me. =3 Thanks for reading and thanks for the reviews!


	17. Chapter 17

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Death Note.

**Credit: **Original idea by Yami Yugi Alexander the 4th.

**Chapter 17**

**Puzzle**

"Happy birthday." he offered.

"Thanks, but that wasn't the point." I frowned.

"You expect me to believe that you're my daughter who was just born today?"

"Not right away but eventually, yes." I agreed. I'm still coming to terms with it myself...

"How do you plan to prove it to me?" he asked.

"I hadn't thought that far ahead." I admitted.

"That in itself could be considered proof, or at least helpful to your case."

That's true, if I was faking I would have had a plan in mind to prove I was telling the truth.

"Why would I lie about being your daughter?" I challenged.

"There could be several reasons, one of the more obvious being; I'm rich."

"You think I'm trying to con you?" I couldn't believe this jerk was related to me.

"Honestly, no, but it is a possibility."

"If you really need proof we can get a blood test done." I pointed out.

"I'd rather not."

"Afraid of needles?" I teased.

"No, afraid of Kira."

"You're safe, trust me." Kira doesn't have my eyes.

He watched my expression closely for several seconds before I realized it had become another staring contest.

"I'll get tested if you tell me what convinced you we're related." he bargained.

"Our last names are the same, today is my birthday and we look a lot alike." the last point was admitted only after much mental debating.

"I never told you my last name." he reminded me.

"Just trust me, they're the same."

"How did you find my name? And why didn't you mention the similarity before now?" he wondered.

"I wasn't sure we were related until you got the phone call about having a daughter, so I, obviously, didn't mention it before I was positive." I answered, but I didn't really think I could slip the lack of answers past him.

"And how did you learn my name?"

How did I? I've always had eyes that can see names so there's really no explanation I can give him. 'I see names?' he'd take it as seriously as the phrase 'I see dead people.' Which I don't.

"I'm not sure." I admitted.

"Not sure?" he didn't buy it.

Will telling him I see names make me a suspect? Probably not considering Kira can't see names... but_ L_ isn't likely to believe me anyway... may as well try, I don't have much to lose.

"When I look at someone's face I see their name above their head." he doesn't need to know about the life spans yet.

"You see what?" Mello grumbled as he walked into the kitchen, Matt at his heels.

Nothing is not a valid answer.

"What are you doing in here?" I asked, trying to avoid the question.

"Getting something to eat, what's so important that you have to hide in the kitchen to talk about it? If it's about the case I deserve to hear it too." he frowned and sat down next to me. Matt took the seat on the other side of him.

Conversation over.

"It wasn't about the case." I mumbled.

"But they do deserve to hear." L stated.

Was he joking? He's trying to humiliate me!

"Ok, fine." I sniffed, I wasn't going to lose "L's my dad, we were arguing about blood tests."

"You know that wasn't the point I wanted you to explain." L frowned, it was almost whining.

"No way! Destiny, you're like thirteen right? And L's like twenty, there's no way he's your dad!" Mello argued.

"Twenty-four." L pouted, hugging his knees "And apparently, there's some kind of supernatural aspect to this that Opal was just about to explain." he tested.

"Opal? Pick a name and stick with it, already!" Mello complained.

"I picked Destiny, and you know it." I directed to both Mello and L.

"So explain how you aged thirteen years in one day. Actually, you've been around for a few weeks now, how is it you were just born this morning?" L questioned.

"I'm from the future." simplicity is key here, the less information the better.

"I see, and how did you manage to get here?" the jerk challenged me again.

"Must have been something I ate." I shrugged, because food poisoning–induced time travel was much more believable then a notebook that kills people being dropped into the library through a solid ceiling by a bored shinigami who thinks I'm interesting.

I took another bite of cake. No one seemed sure how to respond to the blatant lie.

"You're insane." Mello finally commented "I knew it was weird how you just showed up one day, but you really are insane..."

"That hurts, Mihael." I almost smirked at the creeped–out look on his face.

"So you do see names." L stated, sounding bored and interested at the same time was a feat only he could accomplish.

"I told you." I pouted. Mello probably wouldn't like me anymore...

"So, this food that you ate, do you think it sent you back in time for a reason?" he was half playing along and half wondering what the answer was.

"I came to find my father." I smiled again "And I did!"

"You're serious, aren't you?" Mello mumbled.

"Yeah, Mells, I am... please don't be mad." I tried not to scare him, I really do like Mello...

"So you're my daughter that was born today but from thirteen years in the future... if you came back to find me, what happens now?" he asked, actually curious.

"I'm not sure... I don't think I'll be going back there again so... I just stay here?"

"How did the Kira case end?" L asked, suddenly.

"Well, it took you six years, but you caught him and destroyed most of the murder weapons he had."

"What was the murder weapon?"

"I..." what should I say? 'It's a notebook' sure he'd believe me but he's L... honestly, I don't want to solve the case for him, but I'll tell him everything I know if it takes more then a year for him to figure it out himself. "I'm not sure, all the information I have on the case is from the files back at Wammy's..." not an unbelievable excuse, the files did leave out the murder weapon and the suspect's names.

"I see... so you wouldn't know who Kira was either..." he reasoned.

"No, I'm not sure on that either." only half a lie.

"Damn." Mello grumbled.

Everyone looked over at him.

"I gave my first kiss to an old lady..." He moped.

"How do you figure...?" I seethed, balling my fists.

"If you're thirteen now, then in the thirteen years that it takes for you to get here you'll be twenty-six... you're twice my age." he moaned.

I couldn't resist punching him, I'm not that old!

"Mello, you could also look at it the other way and consider her too young, she was born today after all." L _wasn't _helping.

Matt looked up from his game and laughed at Mello, my punch had knocked him off his chair and he was having a hard time getting back up.

I glared at L and he smirked back, maybe we were related after all. I would have done the same if our positions had been reversed.

"I suppose we should get our stories straight before the task force gets here tomorrow." L spoke up.

"Wait, you're going to tell the task force?" I asked.

"Of course, the fact that you have more information on the case then anyone else on the team would make you a suspect in my eyes if I didn't know why you knew so much, so we may as well explain it now before we're asked about it later. Also, you are too old to be my daughter, so we'd better find and explanation for that while we're at it." he was planning on admitting that I was his daughter?

"How do we explain it then?" I wondered.

"The truth would work better then most lies."

"Are you sure?"

"No, but the task force members deserve to know what we're dealing with."

"That's mean, I'm not related to Kira."

"No, you're related to me and they should know."

"Fine, do what you want but you're explaining this."

"Agreed." he smiled.

I had a famous dad... quite the turn around from no dad at all.

"Oh, and there's something that you mentioned earlier that I should bring up." I remembered.

"And what's that?"

"You're rich." I stated.

He raised what would have been and eyebrow.

"You're rich and we're related, so I get to take advantage of that money... I want new clothes."

I received three matching looks of confusion.

"What? I am a girl, and you've done nothing but mess with me over my one outfit." I pouted.

"We can't go shopping." L frowned.

"Why not?"

"Kira. I thought you'd know this by now."

"Don't be pathetic! You went outside to buy candy, clothes aren't different!"

"You shouldn't eat your clothing, I'm starting to believe food poisoning really did bring you here."

I frowned. Maybe I should have looked for my mother instead...

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**Author's Note: **I spent a lot more time watching T.V. today then I normally would in a week, then I sat at my computer and listened to music for a while, obviously I'm bored. Thanks for reading and thanks for the reviews!


	18. Chapter 18

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Death Note.

**Credit: **Original idea by Yami Yugi Alexander the 4th.

**Chapter 18**

**Cons**

"...and then I got on the plane and came to Japan to help Ryuzaki with the Kira case." I finished explaining.

I can't believe L managed to bribe me into explaining all of this myself. I didn't even get much out of it, just the last slice of cake... that's depressing.

The task force members were looking at me like I was insane and L wasn't helping me prove them wrong.

Finally Matsuda spoke up. "So, what happens to me in the future?"

"You stay on with the NPA for a few years after the case ends before going into entertainment, you wind up being a really famous manager for a lot of models." I smiled.

"This is insane, Ryuzaki, you don't actually believe this do you?" Aizawa complained.

"I do believe her, besides, the blood tests proved that she is my daughter who was born three days ago." L stated.

It had taken three days for L to decide that it was time to tell the task force about how different I was, one day had been spent ignoring the fact, the second was taking a blood test– he was afraid of needles– and the third was getting our stories straight after the results of the test proved we were related.

Now was the time after the explanation for everyone to ask questions, and question my sanity.

"Hey, what happens to Aizawa in the future?" Matsuda joked.

"He becomes the big boss of the NPA." I answered.

Everyone stopped talking to look at Yagami Soichiro.

"The chief is closer to being director then I am..." the question was implied.

"Yagami-san retires to spend more time with his family." I quickly improvised, he did end up dead after the director was kidnaped but before that he retired so it wasn't a total lie.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

"Where is he? He's always saying that we can't go outside and now he just vanishes..." I mumbled, Mello, Matt and I were sitting in my bedroom.

L had been gone all day and no one knew where he was.

"Worried?" Mello teased, well actually it was only half teasing.

"No, that's his job." I sighed, didn't the child run away for stupid reasons and the parent worry themselves sick about it? L isn't a very good father.

"I bet he just walked to the nearest candy store and he'll be back in five minutes with a truck–full of sugar for you." Matt reassured from behind his video game.

"If that was it he would have been back two hours ago..." I was worried.

L had left without a word to anyone at about ten, now it was four and he wasn't back. Watari had been here for a while but he didn't say anything to us about where L was, he was probably told not to.

My new dad is missing and all I can do is sit and wait in my room.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

"This is a really bad idea, Destiny." Mello complained as we walked down the street.

"Don't be a wimp, Mello, if he can run off so can we." I continued on to the small clothing store a few blocks away from our current hotel.

"Your priorities need sorting." it was a whispered statement but I caught it.

And ignored it. I wasn't going to ruin my first day out since the blood test.

I was a bit relieved when the door to the shop opened without a bell to alert the clerk, not that I cared but this was not a cheap store.

Honestly, I had picked this place to spend L's money, not because it was closest to the hotel, but because it was the most expensive store in walking distance. I was trying to pay him back for leaving without telling me, he could have at least called or left a note on the fridge...

This family thing is weird.

Even though it made sense the gesture was pretty much pointless, L wouldn't even notice the money I spent, he had too much to spend.

Mello moved to a rack of vests to pretend that he was looking but it was obvious how awkward he felt in such an over–priced store.

It only took a few seconds to figure out that there was nothing here for me to wear, everything was supposed to look good and feel horrible, while I was more likely to want the opposite.

As depressing as it was to feel so out of place, I decided to stay for a while. After all my main goal in coming here was to spend L's money without permission, and that's what I'm going to do.

With a determined huff I crossed to the men's side of the store, Mello followed me asking if I was lost. I ignored the question.

"I'm going to buy him a suit." I announced.

Mello gave me a blank stare.

"Seriously, he'll hate it so it makes sense that it'll bug him more then just spending his money." I smirked.

"That's why we're here? You came just to spend his money? I thought you needed new clothes!" Mello accused.

"Mells, I need to get back at him for leaving." I stated, firmly.

I had almost forgotten the fight that Mello had put up when I suggested leaving. He and Matt had wanted to stay at the hotel because L had said it wasn't safe– really he was just paranoid– Matt had ended up staying but when Mello refused to come along I did the obvious thing and left the room, he caught up with me in the lobby and refused to let me go alone.

So now he's complaining about why I came– and guilt tripped him into coming– because there wasn't even a reason to leave the room.

But I wasn't paying attention to him, instead I was feeling the silk lining of a black tuxedo jacket.

Mello sighed. "You aren't going to leave are you?" he grumbled.

"Nope. But the more helpful you are; the faster we'll be done here." I answered, still not looking at him.

Maybe I should get Mello a suit too?

"He won't like this..." Mello warned, but then he gave up on protesting and started looking for something to buy for L.

"That's why I'm doing it, Mells, it wouldn't be payback if he liked it."

"Yeah, he'd be upset that we left, but he'd get over it if you bought the clothes you wanted. So buying _him_ clothes that he'll never wear will only make him more upset." Mello agreed, reluctantly.

At least my plan made sense.

"What about this one?" I suggested the black silk–lined suit that I had been looking at earlier.

"Yeah, great." Mello looked up hopefully.

"I'm not going to buy it just so we can go back." I frowned.

He frowned back.

We continued to search, adding to a pile of suits and nice shirts to wear with them until Mello couldn't carry anymore– the benefit of not being alone– then we payed, ignoring the clerks distrusting looks, and started the walk back to the hotel.

I wasn't cruel enough to make him carry all the bags but he did have the bigger half of the odd number we split.

The hotel was a lot warmer then it was outside so we took our time crossing through the lobby, but by the time we had reached our floor Mello was almost running to our rooms.

There was still no one home so we stashed the bags under my bed and started recounting our shopping adventure to Matt.

"So you walked five blocks and only bought stuff for L?" Matt wondered.

"Yep, and he'll hate all of it." I smiled.

"I'm never getting married." Matt mumbled to Mello.

I pretended not te hear.

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**Author's Note: **This took me longer then I wish it did, but I was being lazy. Thanks for reading and thanks for the reviews!


	19. Chapter 19

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Death Note.

**Credit: **Original idea by Yami Yugi Alexander the 4th.

**Chapter 19**

**Accepted**

L hated it.

It was actually kind of funny how annoyed he looked, not only had we left the room but we had brought back seven shopping bags full of expensive suits for him.

He managed to stay calm so you had to look to see how irritated he really was but once you saw it there was no way he could hide it again.

The funniest part was the he wouldn't let us take the stuff back, he wasn't going to wear it but he wasn't going to get rid of it... L has one of the strangest minds I've ever seen.

"On the bright side, you have something nice to wear to your collage thing." I smirked.

When he had gotten home that day I had followed him around the room asking where he'd been until he broke down and told me. He had been taking the entrance exam for To–Oh University, I had teased him about wanting to go back to school until he had admitted that he was going to follow Yagami Raito at school.

My teasing stopped immediately as I silently celebrated him getting closer to catching Raito.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

"Wear the suit." I commanded.

"No."

"Come on, L, if Mello and I are dressing up then so will you."

"I've already told you that you aren't coming, Yagami Raito is a suspect." L sighed.

It had been tree months since L had taken the exam and today was the big, important ceremony that all the new students had to go to.

"You're giving the freshmen address, L, you're not going in jeans!"

"If you wear a cocktail dress, I'll wear the suit." he bargained.

I crossed my arms and frowned at him. I will not wear a cocktail dress.

"There all going to make fun of you." I threatened.

"I'll get over it." he smiled and left the room in jeans and a white shirt.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

The three of us walked up to the main entrance of the ceremony hall. L did stand out, his messy hair and baggy clothes made him look like a homeless person or a drug addict, people were already staring at him, which made me worry about when he went up to give the address.

Luckily he wasn't the only one giving the address, of course if the other person speaking was really well dressed it would only make L look more like a slob.

Apparently, Yagami Raito was the other student, but that was only L's guess– because as firm as the statement was, it wasn't more then a guess.

I had force him to let Mello and I tag along, Matt had been playing with Watari and his computers, so that I wasn't alone in the stands and I could look around for Ryuk.

If I could still see him, now would be the best time to find out if he was attached to Raito. If he was, then Raito was Kira, if he wasn't then L and I were wrong. Oops.

I was scanning the crowd for anyone tall and non–human, he wasn't hard to find. Ryuk was standing behind a– well dressed– guy with brown hair and a _creepy_ sense of overconfidence.

His name was Yagami Tsuki, but it wasn't too hard to guess that I had read it wrong. Which meant that the guy Ryuk was following was actually Yagami Raito.

"Destiny, it's not polite to stare." L put a hand on my shoulder.

"That's him." I stated.

"I'm aware of that."

"If he's the other guy give the address..." I looked up at L and smirked "you're going to look like an idiot."

He sighed and pulled me through the entrance, quite roughly.

Mello and I were sent to our seats and L moved to his. We managed to get the worst seats in the building, we could barely even see the stage.

Of course the other speakers were so boring it didn't really matter.

L and Raito were called up to the stage for the freshmen address, L was using the– clearly fake– name, Hideki Ryuga. Ryuga was one of the most famous singer/ actors in Japan so I could hear the murmurs about the name from my seat.

L and Raito were polar opposites, but between the two of them, L was much more interesting in my opinion.

"Destiny?" Mello whispered.

"Yeah?"

"You can see names right?"

"Yep, names and life spans, but don't tell him about that last bit." I trust Mello enough to tell him.

He went pale at the thought, I guess it is a bit weird knowing when everyone will die... hold on.

_Yagami Raito_

No life span? What, does being Kira make him immortal?

That's frightening...

L and Raito had finished giving two copies of the same speech and were back in their seats. Raito seemed a bit spooked, even from my seat, in the way back of the building, I could see that.

So why didn't he have a life span? He can't be immortal, that's too weird. Ryuk was sitting behind Raito, the students he was sitting in didn't seem to notice. Maybe it had something to do with the death note? I've never been able to see my own life span, but it's not like he's me...

This is creepy.

The ceremony ended soon after that, Mello still seemed to be a bit freaked out, whatever he had been about to say was probably forgotten by now.

We met up with L at the main entrance and on the way to the car that Watari had brought to pick us up we were stopped by L so he could talk to Raito. I watched Ryuk, he seemed interested in the fact that no matter where he moved I could still see him.

But he didn't remember me so he was probably just thinking I was lucky.

We got in the car and drove back to the hotel in total silence.

"Nice speech." I mumbled to L as we walked through the hotel room's main door.

"Thanks." he mumbled back.

Both of us were thinking.

I had always guessed that I couldn't see my own life span because I was the one looking, but Raito didn't have a life span either... the only thing we have in common is the death note, does that mean the notebook stops a person's life span? No, that's stupid, maybe I can't see his life span because he touched the notebook, but he still has one... does that mean that the eyes that see names are connected to the notebook somehow?

I've seen names my whole life, so it's not something that started when I found the notebook, but maybe I'm different somehow? Or maybe Ryuk did something to me before he gave me the notebook?

He did seem to know a lot about me, he was probably watching me for a while before dropping the book... it makes sense, I am L's daughter, maybe he was trying to kill me because L stopped Kira.

I wonder if shinigami see names... I wish I'd asked Ryuk about my eyes before I wrote my name down.

Mello grabbed a box of chocolate bars and a large slice of cake from the fridge.

I got the message and followed him to him room.

He closed the door behind me and we both sat down on the bed before he handed me the cake.

"So, you'll know when I'm going to die?" He asked, after a few minutes of silence.

"Yeah..." I don't want him to ask... please don't ask.

"I get killed by Kira don't I?" he asked, licking a bar of chocolate until it started to melt.

"The first time, yeah but we'll catch Kira, so it won't happen!" I tried to reassure him, his life span and Matt's were different even though they died on the same day, Matt's shows that he'll die like he did but Mello's is longer... maybe that has something to do with the death note too.

"How did it happen?" he mumbled.

"You... Mello, you know you don't want to know that." I was secretly pleading that I wouldn't have to tell him.

"I'd rather know, at least then I can stop myself from making the same mistake." He tried to smile reassuringly, but he seemed sad. Anyone would be sad knowing that they were going to die.

"Kira had a spokes person... Takada Kiomi... in 2010... you and Matt kidnaped her to try and stop the killings, but you were killed."

"Did Matt die too...?" he seemed really sad now, almost like he knew it was his idea.

"Yeah... he was shot be Takada's bodyguards..." and his life span shows it... but yours doesn't.

"I got Matt killed..." he stopped licking his chocolate.

"Mells, it won't happen again." I promised.

"No. It won't, I'll stop Kira this time..."

"Mello, don't be stupid! Leave it to L, he stops Kira in the end, just don't get involved on your own!" I shouted, Mello isn't allowed to die!

He looked up at me, then down at the large chocolate stain he had on his suit pants.

Mello's important to me, I don't want to lose him this time. He's a good person, it's almost weird thinking of him as the man who kidnaped Yagami Sayu and the NPA director to get the notebook. I wonder how he found out it existed, he just showed up one day after five years of nothing and started using the mafia to get the weapon that Kira used. The notebook.

I won't let Mello ruin his own life like that. I won't let him die.

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**Author's Note: **I'm so tired, these last few days have been terrible, I really haven't been feeling well but updating helps me take my mind off of other things so I'm glad I'm posting again. Thanks for reading and thanks for the reviews!


	20. Chapter 20

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Death Note.

**Credit: **Original idea by Yami Yugi Alexander the 4th.

**Chapter 20**

**Face Off**

"Mells, I'm bored." I mumbled, it was still early in the morning and the two of us were lying on the bed in my room, he hadn't bothered going back to the room that he and Matt shared the day before.

"I'm still tired, ask L for some sleeping pills or something." he complained, it was probably about four in the morning.

"I don't like pills." I pouted.

He sighed and shifted enough to cove my mouth with one of his hands.

"_Mmhmph_!" I squealed but he closed his eyes and continued to ignore me.

After ten silent minutes he released me.

I snuggled closer to his side and he made a content humming noise in his sleep.

"Lazy." I ruined the moment, his eyes opened only to narrow with obvious annoyance.

"Go to sleep." he ordered.

"I wasn't bored like this when L was home." I sniffed.

"That was the day before yesterday." he shot back, still half asleep.

"Still, collage is taking up too much time."

"Well go tell him about it." Mello moaned and covered his head with a pillow.

"Fine, I will." I snorted and got out of bed.

L was in the lounge going through lists of victims with the last two, conscious, members of the task force. Mogi and Aizawa were filing the lists as L scanned them. Matsuda was asleep on the couch and Yagami-san had left for the night with Ukita. Of course, it wasn't night anymore.

"Dad, can I go to school with you today?" I asked, sitting on the couch next to L, he didn't look up from his files.

"No, I've told you how dangerous it is to go outside."

"If Kira doesn't know your name then he can't know mine." I pouted.

"I said no." L stated.

"Come on, Dad, please! I won't get in your way I promise." I didn't beg.

"Why?" he asked, finally looking at me.

"I'm bored." I admitted.

"That's not a good enough reason."

"Well, if you don't let me come, I'll follow you to school and you won't be able to tell me how to help." I threatened.

"Watari won't let you follow me." he reasoned.

"I'll leave when he goes to drive you there."

He looked from me, to the list of killings, then to the task force members in the back. He sighed.

"Fine, I'll take you with me, but only once." he gave me a stern look.

"Yes! Thank you, Daddy!" I smiled, my exclamation startled Matsuda into consciousness.

"Oh, Matsuda-san, I'm glad you're awake, can you hand me that envelope?" L requested from the depths of my hug.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

The three of us walked towards the tennis courts, actually, there were four of us. Shinigami are people too.

Ryuk hadn't figured out I could see him yet, so I was going to use the tennis match between L and Raito to talk to him. There probably wasn't much to learn, Ryuk isn't very helpful, but at least he wouldn't tell Kira about me.

"Hey, Ryuga. When you said you wanted to get to know each other playing tennis, did you know how good I am?" Raito ask–bragged.

"Don't worry, Raito, I used to be the British junior champion." L stated.

"Really?" I couldn't help asking.

"Yes." He answered, but his face made it obvious that I shouldn't have asked.

The deal had been that I would come with him to school but; Mello couldn't come, and I had to stay out of his way. Also I was going by the fake name 'Amane Misa' who was another famous Japanese idol. She was a modal and actress who was starting a career in music as well.

It would have been smarter to match our last names but because his was obviously fake it made more sense for mine to be obviously fake too.

By the time we got to the tennis courts it was unnecessary to say that I missed their entire conversation. But I did notice that L spent five years in England as a child, he was probably living at Wammy's House.

I considered being a referee but I didn't know enough about tennis to call their fouls, so instead I took a seat on the bench next to the referee's tall chair.

From my seat on the bench I watched– not the tennis match– but Ryuk, eventually he was bound to figure out that I could see him.

But it took a while. Ryuk isn't as smart as I gave him credit for.

After ten minutes of watching him move back and forth across the court to test my line of sight, the shinigami finally came over to see if I was really watching him or not.

"Hey, human." he called.

I shot him a warning glare and placed a finger to my lips.

He laughed in that weird way that he used to... in the future... hmm.

"Ryuk, keep it down." I whispered.

"You know my name? How interesting." he chuckled.

"You gave me the notebook in the year 2016." I tried to remind him.

He just looked blank.

I sighed.

"Just trust me." I encouraged.

"Human time and shinigami time aren't the same but I'm sure that it hasn't been 2016 yet. If the numbers go in order, then it won't be 2016 for another twelve years." he chuckled again.

"I said just trust me."

"So how'd you get here, or maybe it's now. Hyuk hyuk."

"I wrote my name in the notebook and said that I would meet my father." I explained.

"Oh, I get it, you're dad's Raito's new friend, I guess that means he wins in the end doesn't it?" laugher.

"No, L wins." I frowned, I honestly hadn't considered L getting killed by Kira, he solves lots of cases after Kira's dealt with.

"So then why'd you have to go back in time to meet him?" Ryuk wasn't helping my train of thought.

"Listen, there's a point in me talking to you." I insisted. He just laughed. "I see names and life spans, is that something shinigami can do?"

"You made the eye deal in the future? That's interesting, but I must have explained it to you."

"Eye deal? What's that?"

"Shinigami kill humans to extend their own lives, we write human names in out death notes and however many years our victims don't live that they should have get added to our life spans." he explained "Shinigami have the power to see human names and life spans by looking at that human's face. It's also possible to trade that power to a human who possesses a death note. For a price."

"So my eyes belong to a shinigami... what did I have to trade?" I asked.

"You honestly don't remember?"

"I've always been able to see names, even before I met you." I told him.

He laughed. "Well isn't that interesting."

"What? What did I trade?"

"The price for a shinigami's eyes is half of the human's remaining life span." Ryuk cackled.

"Half of... but wouldn't I remember trading that?"

"Maybe, that's what's interesting; you may not have traded for the eyes like everyone else. I've only heard of this happening once before..."

"It's happened before? To who?"

"Misa-chan." L called, the match was over.

"Yeah?" I shouted back, getting off the bench and jogging over to the two of them. Ryuk was at my heels.

"Why don't you head back to the hotel, I'd like to talk to Yagami-kun alone now." normally I would have argued but...

"Fine, good game, by the way." I complemented before turning on my heels and rushing away, the hotel we were staying at was only a block and a half away so it was important that I get there fast so L can't ask me why I'm in such a hurry to go home.

A huge crowed of students had gathered around the tennis courts to watch the match, it was hard to fight my way through them all but it meant that L would loose sight of me faster.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

I entered the hotel room gasping and panting after the run, I wasn't really that excited to be back but all of L's paranoia was rubbing off on me.

"Welcome back, Destiny, how was school?" Matsuda asked, he was making coffee.

"Not too bad, I watched Ryuzaki and Raito-kun play tennis." Matsuda was cute, but not in a datable kind of way, more like a puppy–dog way.

"Who won?" he asked, smiling at me, happily.

"Raito-kun, I think, but I'm not sure how tennis works." and I wasn't paying any attention.

"I'm not too surprised, Ryuzaki doesn't really seem like the athletic type." Matsuda laughed, still in a great mood.

"Oh, Ryuzaki was amazing, trust me." I caught that much.

"Really? Hey, why do you call him Ryuzaki instead of Dad?" he asked, randomly.

"Hmm? Oh, I didn't notice, I guess he's been my idol for so long that it's still weird thinking of him as my dad." I shrugged.

"He's your idol? I know Ryuzaki's amazing and all but wasn't he a secret detective?" we walked into the main room with a tray full of coffee for the others.

"Morning, Yagami-san." I greeted "Well, I was raised in an orphanage where everyone was trying to be just like L. I always looked up to him." I admitted "But you can't tell him I told you about the orphanage, it's supposed to be a secret too."

"I won't tell." Matsuda smiled.

We sat down on the couch together and Matsuda drank a cup of coffee, I didn't want any, as much as I wanted to be like L stomaching coffee wasn't a step I was ready to take yet.

"Yagami-san you didn't go home last night did you?" I frowned, he didn't look too good at the moment.

"No, I went to the NPA and took Ukita's shift at the office." he admitted, still pouring over a stack of files that probably wouldn't lead anywhere.

"As incredible as your dedication is, you are a human being, you need some rest." I warned.

"I know, but I wouldn't be able to sleep with Kira on the loose, even if I did take a night off..."

"Yagami-san... Yagami-san?!" with a grunt, Yagami collapsed to the floor, scattering papers everywhere.

I wasn't the first person to check his pulse. "Someone call an ambulance!" Aizawa shouted.

I ran for Watari.

"Watari, Yagami-san's collapsed, we need to get him to the hospital!" I shouted through an open door.

"Right, call Ryuzaki." he ordered, standing up and rushing to the other room.

He tossed his cell phone to me as we ran.

I took a guess and used speed dial number two, luckily the caller I.D. read '_Ryuzaki_' and it started to ring.

Matsuda was helping Watari carry Yagami-san to the car and Aizawa was on the phone, probably with his family or the hospital.

The phone stopped ringing and I didn't give him time to answer.

"Ryuzaki! Yagami-san's collapsed, I think he had a heart attack!" I panicked.

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**Author's Note: **Oh no! A day late! I'm so sorry, something came up at home. Thanks for reading and thanks for the reviews!


	21. Chapter 21

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Death Note.

**Credit: **Original idea by Yami Yugi Alexander the 4th.

**Chapter 21**

**No Sleep**

"You really hate me, don't you?" I pouted.

"No, what makes you think that?" L replied, not looking up from his laptop.

"You wouldn't let me talk to Yagami-kun, you wouldn't let me go to the hospital to see Yagami-san and I'm only aloud to leave the hotel room when you don't know I'm gone." I whined.

"I want to keep you safe, there's a small chance that Yagami-kun is Kira."

"You think I'm a liability, don't you...?" I sighed.

"I don't know what you mean."

"I'm not aloud to go anywhere because we have the same last name and if I mess up people can track you down, selfish." I complained.

"It's true that you could get us both killed if you spend too much time outside but that's not why I won't let you leave." he admitted.

I waited for a reason but none was offered.

"Why won't you let me leave, then?" I finally asked.

"You're my daughter and I want to protect you." he stated.

"Right, I'll believe you when you decide to look at me while saying sappy stuff like that." I mumbled.

He glanced up from his laptop as I left the room.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

Yagami-san was an important part of the task force, so when he was hospitalized it was a serious blow to the rest of the team, Matsuda was always asking L how he was and constantly trying to get days off for the others.

Of course L didn't take to the idea, but he did allow the team to leave early for the next few days.

That made it harder on those of us who didn't have another home to stay at, like me...

L had tried to make up for the lack of nightly help by working through the night without stopping, and I had tried to help out of the kindness of my heart... for the past six days, I hadn't slept.

Insomnia must be hereditary because L never slept and I always thought that I didn't need to either, but after almost a week of no rest...

_I'm so tired_.

L was talking with the task force about Naomi Misora, an ex-FBI agent who was engaged to Raye Penber and had gone missing a few days after his death.

Apparently no leads on her vanishing act had been found.

It was upsetting that she hadn't been tracked down yet because Kira was obviously to blame, but whatever he had written in the notebook was, no doubt, an unsolvable mystery.

Depressing.

I yawned again into L's left ear, I was leaning against his shoulder, trying to listen to the meeting and sleep at the same time. It wasn't too hard to figure out the sleeping part but my bony pillow wouldn't stop shifting whenever I made a noise.

The task force members had given up staring and Mello and Matt, who had decided to watch me attempt sleep in the middle of an important meeting, had gotten bored of their snickering.

In my defense, it was night and I was _really_ tired.

"Ryuzaki!" My eyes were closed but it was still pretty easy to guess who was entering the room.

"What is it?" L asked, Watari crossed to the back of the chair and a second later the T.V. turned on.

"Sakura T.V. quick... you have to see this!" Watari insisted as he found the right channel.

I opened my eyes to watch, but even I knew that Sakura T.V. was an unreliable station.

On the screen was a man in a nice suit, behind him was a table and a screen that read 'A Message from Kira Four Terrifying Videos' and of course four videos were on the table.

The man was explaining that the station was being held hostage by Kira and they had to air the tapes or they would be killed.

"Held hostage by Kira?"

"What's going on here?"

"_The first tape announced the time and date of death for Seiichi and Seiji Machiba, who were arrested the other day. Exactly as predicted, these two men died yesterday at seven P.M. of heart attacks_." the man continued.

So why hadn't they gone to the police after realizing that those men could die? Not like that would help but still... what a sleazy station.

"_The envelope we received contained instructions from Kira telling us to air this, the second video, at exactly 5:59 P.M. today. We have not viewed this video ourselves, but Kira's instructions state that it foretells yet another death and contains a message to people all over the world._" He handed the tape to a woman who walked off screen, that was probably just for show, a copy of the tape was most likely being played.

"This has to be another one of their fake stories, right...?" Ukita asked.

"No way..." Matsuda replied "not even Sakura would go this far..."

"_The time is 5:59 P.M. you are now going to see Kira's video._"

The screen changed from the man in the suit to a white background surrounding the word KIRA in a gothic font that seemed extremely familiar. It would have been the same as L's but it was written by hand and was really messy.

"_I am Kira._" a dubbed voice announced, as if the lettering wasn't enough.

I glanced at L, he was watching quietly.

"_If this video is aired exactly at 5:59 P.M. on April 18__th__... it is now 5:59 and 38, 39, 40 seconds... please switch channels to Taiyo T.V. the news anchor, Mr. Kazuhiko Hibima will die of a heart attack at precisely six P.M._"

"Change the channel." L ordered, it was changed.

A dead man was lying of the desk between two shocked women.

"Switch back to Sakura. Watari, bring another T.V. set here... no, two T.V. sets."

"Done."

"_Mr. Hibima has consistently referred to Kira as 'evil' in his news reports. This was his punishment. But one demonstration alone does not serve as absolute proof. I will present you with another. My next target is a commentator who has also condemned me repeatedly. He is scheduled to be appearing live on the air at this time..._"

"Ryuzaki..." Matsuda was cut off.

"Go to channel 24!" L stopped his sentence.

Another dead man was surrounded by staff.

"They said Kira would be sending a message to people all over the world..." L realized "We have to make them stop this broadcast or something terrible is going to happen!"

"I'll get Sakura T.V.'s phone number!" Matsuda dove for the phone.

"_I trust you now believe that I really am Kira._"

"It's hopeless... every single number I've tried in the entire station's busy..."

"My friend who works there has his cell phone turned off!"

"Dammit! Then I'm going out there to make them stop it myself!" Ukita shouted, leaving the room in a rush.

"Ukita!" Matsuda tried to stop him but he was gone before the word was finished.

"_Please listen to me carefully. I do not want to kill innocent people._"

"I hate evil and love justice. I do not consider the police my enemies by my allies in my fight against evil." I quoted, L looked at me, biting his thumb.

"_My aim is to rid the word of evil_– and create a just society. If all of you will join me in this mission, it can be easily accomplished."

"This was in the files, wasn't it?" L asked.

"Yeah, word for word."

"So what happens to Ukita-san?"

Ukita dies in front of the station! "Aizawa-san, call ukita and tell him to hide his face when he approaches the station!" I ordered.

L saw the problem, but I wasn't sure.

Aizawa dialed and waited as the phone rang... and rang. "He's not answering!"

"No..." I whispered, but L heard me.

"What happens?" he asked, firmly.

"Ukita-san dies at the main entrance!" I shouted.

"Ukita!" Aizawa was almost at the door by the time Mello and Matt jumped on him.

Matt blocked the door and Mello tried to pull him back to the T.V. sets.

"Let me go!" he struggled "I have to save Ukita!"

"Aizawa-san, Ukita is at least two minutes ahead of you, you wouldn't get there in time to stop him and if you follow his lead, you'll share his fate." L stated, he seemed calm but he was shaking in his seat.

Matt blocked the door with his whole body, leaning his weight against it, Mello wouldn't let go of Aizawa's arm.

"I can't just sit here!" Aizawa shouted "He's my best friend..." he almost looked on the verge of tears.

"I'm sorry, but their's nothing we can do..." L looked back to the screen showing the front of Sakura T.V. there was a man trying to gain entry, but the guard wouldn't open the doors. The man pulled out a gun...

Ukita still had years left to live, but it's documented that he died today, and when he collapsed it was obvious that the books were right.

"Fake names didn't help, Ryuzaki!" Aizawa shouted, wrenching his arm away from Mello but walking back towards the rest of us "Kira must already know our names!"

"It's possible, but if that were the case, it would have made more sense for him to kill off the entire task force before making a more like this." L replied.

But that must mean...

I shot off the arm of L's chair before I really thought about what I was doing, Matt had relaxed in front of the door and I ran towards him. Kira had my eyes.

"Destiny!" L actually shouted, leaving his seat and grabbing onto my arm to stop me.

"Let go! He's got my eyes!" I tried to fight him but he was way too strong for me to escape properly.

"If that's true, he'll kill you when you get there, just like Ukita-san, I won't let that happen." L stated, looking me right in the eye with a firm expression.

"Dad... thank you..." I almost whispered, I gave up on leaving and wrapped my arms around L in a hug, he really did want to protect me...

He didn't reply to my thanks, he simply placed a hand on my back in an awkward but comforting embrace. I snuggled into him, almost crying at the thought of having a father who cared about me.

It hadn't really sunk in that L was my dad until that moment.

"Ryuzaki, What do we do?" Aizawa seemed calmer now, almost reassured by the unusual display.

L didn't release me but his hand moved to my lower back as he turned back to the rest of the team. Mello gave me a small smirk from his place by the door. I ignored it.

"That depends, Destiny, what happens next?" L asked.

I checked the clock. "Uhm... an armored van should crash through the front entrance to the station in two minutes." I recalled.

"What? And armored van? Who's driving?" Matsuda asked.

"I'm not sure, but they're on our side." I promised.

We watched the T.V. with silent breaths until, two minutes later, a police van came crashing through the front door. L thought of a plan and took action immediately.

"Aizawa-san, please call Deputy Chief Kitamura's cell phone, if he picks up hand the phone to me." L requested.

Aizawa dialed.

A police car pulled up in front of the station, I bit my lip as L took the phone from Aizawa.

"This is L." he stated. "I have a request. There will be more officers driven to act on their own after seeing this broadcast. Unless strictly coordinated action is taken, we'll have a major tragedy on our hands."

A moment later both officers who had gotten out of their car were killed.

"Yes... that's right. They should never show their faces..." L finished explaining a few moments later.

Watari's cell phone rang and he checked the caller ID. "It's Yagami-san." He stated.

"Yes. Thank you, Kitamura-san... no, wait. Please stay on the line." L turned to Watari and had him call Yagami back. "Yagami-san, it's me. So it was you in that armored van."

Why didn't I guess that? I took L's hand off my back but didn't let go of it.

L told Yagami to come out the front of the building in five minutes, so obviously he was in the building.

I would have preferred meeting the second Kira to sitting back and waiting at the hotel, but L's display of fatherly love was enough to keep me here, it had been completely unexpected.

This has to be the second Kira, of course because Raito was the first and he seemed too smart to pull something like this, at least before he killed L and the task force. The records did show that there were two Kiras, three if you counted the Kira they caught a few months into the case that turned out to be a pawn.

We watched from the hotel room as van after van of masked police men showed up at the scene and began to form a human shield around the main entrance to the station, the abandoned camera was blocked off and after two minutes of men arriving we couldn't see the door at all.

Yagami would be safe if the second Kira was using the news cameras to watch the building. Ten minutes after the five minutes we had waited for backup, Yagami came limping through the front door of th hotel room, supported by Watari and holding a Sakura T.V. bag full of video tapes and papers.

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**Author's Note: **Oops, late again, but this is almost eight pages long, that helps, right? Thanks for reading and thanks for the reviews!


	22. Chapter 22

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Death Note.

**Credit: **Original idea by Yami Yugi Alexander the 4th.

**Chapter 22**

**Race**

"Whatever he's hiding must be important." I commented.

I was sitting in a café with Mello and Matt, L had let us leave the room and the only reason I could think of that would make him do that was that he didn't want us to know about whatever was on the tapes.

He had asked me if I knew what they said and I had admitted that I only knew the police had refused to work with Kira, the content of the tapes played after that hadn't been in the files.

As soon as he heard that he had insisted that the three of us go outside for once, he must have wanted to hide what he had seen. He had sent me to my room while he watched the tapes last night and now he was sending me out of the building while he talked to the task force...

So here we were, sitting in a café for a free lunch, while L talked to the task force about what was on the tapes and what needed to be done about it.

"Forget what he's hiding, if it was important wouldn't he tell us? Were part of the team, and way smarter then those Japanese guys he's working with." Mello snorted, taking another large gulp of his _hot_ chocolate. I saw him wince as it burnt his tongue but didn't react to it.

"I hope you're right... but I don't think he would make us leave for nothing, he must be nervous about something..." I moped, dissecting my strawberry cheesecake rather then eating it.

"We'll find out in four days whatever he does, it'll be on live, national, T.V. remember?" Matt cut in. He had ordered a chocolate cake but Mello had eaten more then he had, now he was playing another game.

"Yeah, good point, but what if it's too late to help by then?" I finally took a bite of my cake.

"Calm down, what would he possibly make an effort to hide from us that would get him hurt?" Mello asked, frowning at the cooling hot chocolate.

I sighed, there was no reason for me to be worried, L can take care of himself, he did solve the case before, but the second Kira had my eyes, he could be in danger...

- - - - - - - - - - - -

L sat in the main room of the large hotel suite, he had just finished watching tape number four, again, he had now watched it three times, it was strangely quiet without Destiny and Mello fighting, or Matt playing his video games in the living room to avoid the fighting.

L had watched the tapes last night, as soon as they had arrived, and he had realized that Destiny would make some kind of stupid plan to help him if she knew that he could be killed by the fake Kira. The tapes had both required him to appear in T.V. to die in less then two weeks and if this Kira did have Destiny's eyes, L would die. His name was far too obvious.

So Destiny, Mello and Matt had been given a credit card and sent out to spend the day in the city while L talked to the task force about the tapes. There was little hope of stopping Destiny from watching the tapes in four days but those four days were enough time for him to think of a plan to calm her down once she figured out what was wrong.

The task force members entered about a minute later, Matsuda was at the real office but Mogi, Aizawa and Yagami where there to find out what the tapes had said.

"So... what was on them, Ryuzaki?" Yagami asked, L turned in his chair to look at them.

"Very interesting videos." L commented "The instructions were to broadcast video 3 if the police said 'yes' to working with Kira. And if the answer was 'no,' to show 4. Video 3 details the conditions for cooperation. Basically, they were to show more criminals on the news, and particularly to report crimes in which people were injured, or cruelty was shown towards the weak, even if those crimes were minor. And Kira will be the one to decide who should be punished."

The task forced members listened silently.

"And, as proof that the police are sincere about working together with him– to have top NPA officials and L appear on T.V. to make the announcement. In other words, to make the top brass and me show our faces, so that if the police start acting suspiciously... he can kill us off."

There was actual shock, almost fear, displayed on the faces of the task force members, no one interrupted but they were all thinking the same thing; what would happen to his daughter?

"I'm almost certain that Kira knew very well the police would never say 'yes' when he decided to take this step. Anybody could guess that the police would respond exactly as they did yesterday." L stated.

"So what about the 'no' video, number 4...?" Yagami asked, if 'yes' was bad, no would be worse, right?

"Basically, it's the same thing. Just expressed in a different manner." L answered "It'll be much faster to have you watch it then to explain it in words." He reached for the remote and played the video again.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

"Lets go for a walk in the park, it's right around the corner." I suggested.

"Uh, no thanks, I'm allergic to bees." Matt smiled over his game.

"Oh, come on, Matt, more like allergic to trees, you never get out." Mello frowned.

"I like inside more." Matt admitted.

"Well, we have to stay together so... how about the arcade?" I tried again.

Matt's face lit up. Mello rolled his eyes.

"I'm in!" Matt enthused.

"Fine, me too." Mello relented.

The arcade was only a block away, in the opposite direction of the park. It was fairly empty because of school so we walked right in... and lost Matt within ten seconds.

"Alright! I'm off to shoot zombies!" Mello bragged.

"You mean shoot _at_ zombies, you'll never hit any." I laughed, only because he was bragging.

"I'll hit more then you!" He sniffed.

"You're on!" I laughed and followed him through the maze of flashing lights to a two player zombie slaying game.

With my unlimited credit card– linked to L's unlimited bank account– we had plenty of money to spend on games.

Mello started the game and grabbed the blue gun before I could, I don't love red but it's just a toy gun. We were looking through the eyes of our characters so the zombies looked like they were really zombie–walking down a hall towards us.

Mello wasn't really too bad at the game, he shot the first one right between the eyes and it collapsed without getting close to him, but my first zombie was harder to hit, I didn't really know much about guns and had to aimlessly shoot three times before I stopped the thing.

Mello laughed at me but I ignored him and brought down a second zombie. Unfortunately a third came rushing down the hallway at me and before I could hit it I got a close up of zombie eyes. They were red and stood out like rubies against the grey–ish skin, I tried to aim but there was no hope of hitting it.

I actually backed up into the game behind me, afraid of being eaten by the undead. Mello didn't laugh this time, he asked if I was alright.

I shot almost ten rounds into to zombie and managed to re–kill it before it killed me. Mello paused the game while I took some deep breaths, I don't like zombies.

"Calm down, it's just a game." Mello comforted, I was still holding my red gun like it was going to save my life.

"I'm fine." I panted, it was my first video game.

"Let's play something else." Mello offered.

"No way, I'm not letting you win!" I smiled shakily.

"You almost had a panic attack." he looked worried.

I ignored him and restarted the game, taking another deep breath.

After three more rounds of Zombie Slayers, I had lost two games to one, but I had managed to beat him once.

"I told you I'd win." Mello gloated.

"Yeah, yeah, great job." he probably wouldn't have bragged if I had given up.

"Hey, guys!" Matt actually ran over towards us, him arms full of tickets "Let's go to the prize booth!" He smiled.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

"Yagami-san. Obviously, the police are going to say 'no'... so please go ahead and give Sakura T.V. permission to air this video." L turned off the T.V. as Yagami-san left the room.

He wasn't able to die anymore, because Destiny needed him to live too.

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**Author's Note: **Early chapter, it's shorter but I needed a filler chapter, plus I'm leaving for the night and need to post it now. Thanks for reading and thanks for the reviews!


	23. Chapter 23

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Death Note.

**Credit: **Original idea by Yami Yugi Alexander the 4th.

**Chapter 23**

**Truth**

In the time it had taken for Mello and I to play three games of Zombie Slayer Matt had won over five-thousand tickets, we stood in the prize room for almost an hour looking for something that we could really use.

There were giant stuffed animals and game systems, we spent a few tickets on chocolate, and an unfortunately large section of the store was dedicated to Kira–related prizes, like Kira hats and board games. There were also Kira posters but because no one knew what Kira looked like they were nothing more then a creative collage of Kira's name and some criminals dying.

Matt spent more time pouting about not having enough for a new game system then looking for something else, so it was Mello who eventually convinced him to get a Kira dart board.

I sat back and laughed at his choice.

Then Mello used the rest of the tickets to buy a large stuffed panda for me.

"I still owe you for the bear." he reminded me "Happy birthday, Destiny."

"Thanks." I smiled back at him and took the bear. I will never tell anyone how much it looked like L.

It was passed five when we got back to the hotel and the task force members had left fo the night, L turned off the T.V. as we walked in, he had probably been watching the video Kira had sent again.

I took the dart board from Mello's hands and walked over to L.

"Happy birthday." I smiled at him, and handing him the dart board that happily proclaimed 'Stick it to Kira!' on the front of the box.

He gave me a small smile as he examined the box, it was the only thing in the world that I would be able to find for him. Ever. He chuckled lightly as he read the instructions.

"Where did you get this?" he asked after a moment.

"We went to the arcade and Matt won tons of tickets. I don't know when your birthday really is, though, so this is my early or late present."

"So Mello got you a panda?" L asked, not telling me when his birthday was, I would just have to give him a random present every year until he tells me.

"Yeah, we had spare tickets." I'm blushing?

He smiled at me.

One good thing about having a father who doesn't know what he's doing is that he'd never try to give me 'the talk' that everyone hates hearing. Also he lets me eat nothing but sweets and go to bed whenever I want.

I walked from L's chair to the kitchen in a very short amount of time, I was actually embarrassed that Mello had given me a stuffed panda...

Chocolate cake drew Mello in like the arcade had gotten Matt.

"So, did he tell you what we missed?" Mello asked, eating the cake directly from the tray, but I was doing the same thing so it wasn't too weird.

"No, he didn't, but it'll be on T.V. in four days so we'll see the tape..."

"I'm sure he's not going to get himself hurt, he's not that bad of a parent." Mello reasoned. With his mouth full.

"Yeah, I gave him the dart board."

"I guessed." Mello frowned, he must like darts.

"I'm sure we can still use it." I smirked.

"Yeah, I bet we can..." he sighed.

"What's wrong?" I asked, he wouldn't have acted depressed if he didn't want me to ask.

"I kinda wish we'd gone to the park..." He answered "We could have walked around in circles and bought ice cream and stuff... like on T.V."

"Mello, you're not that sheltered. What's really bothering you?" I frowned.

"Seriously, I wanted to go to the park with you!" he shouted.

It clicked.

"Like... like a date?" I stuttered.

"Yeah, like a date, or we could go to dinner or... something." now he was blushing.

I tried not to stare in shock but Mello was asking me out... I wonder if L will let us. I'd miss the tape for that.

"We can go out, I'm sure we can, and L gave me a credit card connected to his bank account so we could do anything... I'd love to go out with you." I really am blushing this time, but so is he so it's not too bad.

"Cool, how about after the tape is broadcast, I know you won't want to miss it..." this was turning into an awkward conversation.

"Ok, can't wait." Time to escape! I stood up and kissed Mello on the cheek before almost running to my room.

_I'm going on a date with Mello!_

- - - - - - - - - - - -

"Destiny, it's plugged in, it works fine." Matt said from behind the T.V. I had expected L to tamper with it so I couldn't watch the tape from my room but he hadn't.

"The cannel's not eve blocked." Mello mumbled. I was sitting on his lap while he flipped through the channels.

"Weird, I was sure he'd try to stop me from watching..."

There were two knocks on my door but before anyone could eve more to open it L had entered.

He looked slightly uncomfortable but not too nervous about what he was going to say. After a slight sigh he spoke.

"Destiny, I know you're going to watch the tape regardless of what I do so you three might as well come watch it with the rest of us." He monotoned.

He left the room, the task force had probably told him to let us watch.

With three identical looks of confusion we left my room to find the task force in the lounge. L was already sitting in his chair in front of the T.V. so I sat on the arm to watch.

I ignored the announcers talking about the tape and Kira but I was all ears when the tape started playing.

"_It is highly unfortunate that the police have said 'no' to my offer. However, I expect news reports to continue featuring criminals as before, or else I will have to pass judgement on people in the police and the media._"The fake voice announced.

"_But... since the police have decided to oppose me, that alone will not do._"

This must be what L was hiding, the penalty.

"_As a penalty, I will take the life of the director–general of the NPA, which has formed a task force to find and capture me– or of the alleged mastermind leading this task force, known only as L. The director–general, or L– which one will it be? You have four days to decide who will be sacrificed for the loss of a peaceful and just world._"

I couldn't move... L was going to die? Because of Kira? This wasn't supposed to happen! Did I change history when I came here? Or was L able to get out of this situation?

"_I know the face of the director–general and can easily take his life. But if L is chosen instead... he is to appear on Sakura T.V. in four days, on the six P.M. news, and speak for a ten minute period. I will be the judge of whether the person shown is L. If I determine the person is not L, I will take the lives of several police chiefs worldwide as compensation._"

That means if my dad doesn't die, Raito's probably will...

"_Lying to me will cost you dearly. I will say this yet again– I do not want to take the lives of innocent people._"

Says the person who's kill two news reporters and three police officers...

"_You have four days. Think it over, and think well._"

The T.V. was turned off as the last sentence ended.

"That's what you've been hiding?" I asked L, who was chewing his thumb as he stared that the blank screen "You're going to commit suicide on national T.V. in four days!" I shouted.

I had just found him... there's no way L can die now!

"We have four days to think of a better plan but if we don't find a way to interfere, then yes, I will go on T.V. in four days." L stated, his expression was completely blank.

"But... but, Dad..." I whispered, am I going to cry?

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**Author's Note: **Grrr, another late chapter, I was gone longer then I thought I'd be. Sorry! Thanks for reading and thanks for the reviews!


	24. Chapter 24

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Death Note.

**Credit: **Original idea by Yami Yugi Alexander the 4th.

**Chapter 24**

**Commitment**

"Destiny, you can't stay in your room forever..." L sighed, I had locked myself in my room after he told me that he intended to die in four days.

I know it's the childish way to handle it but he's my dad and I don't want to lose him, maybe I can guilt him into sending a stand in.

I heard his full weight hit the door and slide down to the plush carpet on his side. "I'm going to sit in front of your door until you agree to come out." He huffed, his voice softened by the wood.

I wasn't the only childish one.

I sat on my bed hugging my panda and trying to think of a plan that didn't end in L's death or my revealing the death note.

I wasn't having a very successful thinking session.

"You know I could have Watari break the door down." L threatened off handedly.

I didn't say anything back.

He sighed again.

I wasn't coming out.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

Destiny had been in her room for almost four hours now, L was trying to convince her to come out but it wasn't working, but what was worse then that was that Destiny knew she was being unreasonable.

She understood that she was only causing problems and she was ignoring him anyway... _sigh._

The main door to the hotel opened and Yagami-san entered, he was a father, maybe he would know what to do, but L had promised to sit by the door until Destiny came out...

Mello conveniently walked by and noticed L's position on the floor.

"What's up?" he asked, mouth full of chocolate.

"Destiny won't come out of her room." L whispered back.

"Oh, yeah. She really is worried about you, but she has to come out to eat and stuff so she won't last more then a day or two." Mello, sort of, encouraged.

"Mello, I told her I wouldn't leave her door until she came out, but I need to ask Yagami-san for advice, can you sit here and talk to her for me?" L asked, standing up as quietly as possible.

"Yeah, no problem." Mello mumbled through his chocolate and took L's place by the door.

L thanked him and walked towards the main room where Yagami-san was sitting, reviewing paperwork. Yagami was a competent worker and a good leader, he had a strong sense of justice and handled people well. He would know what to do.

"Yagami-san?" L asked, Yagami turned toward him, having not noticed his entrance.

"Ryuzaki, I'm sorry I came in early again but I wanted to get a head start on the paper work today."

"It's almost six in the morning, Yagami-san, you need more rest then you're getting working like this."

"I know, I should sleep more but... I just haven't been able to relax since this case started." Yagami sighed.

"Yagami-san, the case has been hard on everyone but at the moment... I was wondering if I could get your advice on something..." L didn't look at Yagami directly as he requested this.

"Of course, Ryuzaki, I'd be happy to help, what's bothering you?" Yagami was a bit surprised by _the_ L's request for help, he had to remind himself that L was still a human being.

"Destiny's quite upset about my possible death in three days, she's locked herself in her room and refuses to come out. I know that your daughter is about the same age so I was hoping you would be able to tell me what to do." L explained.

"Any girl would be upset if her father was in as much danger as you are, when I told my family I was working this case they all begged me to quit the police so I didn't get killed, Sayu was the most upset... chances are she just needs time to calm down, but if you want her to come out you should talk to her about it, she'll listen to you if you tell her everything. Try talking to her about your plans without making her leave her room, she probably needs the support of her father more then anything else. She's scared for you." Yagami smiled at the detective, L wasn't sure how well talking would work but it was worth a try.

"Thank you, Yagami-san, I'll try it." L smiled, only slightly uncomfortable.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

"Hey, Destiny, are you going to come out today?" I heard Mello ask.

I knew L would lose interest after a while. Logic said that I would come out when I got hungry.

"No, I'm not coming out." I answered, my voice broke a bit from shouting earlier, then not talking for hours.

"Why?"

I didn't answer this time.

I heard Mello sigh.

"Come on, Des..." Mello whined "What happened to our date?"

I felt guilty about blowing Mello off, L was the one I was mad at.

"Sorry, Mells, we'll go out, I promise..." I whispered, I wanted to go out with him, but not until L was safe.

"We could go to that café again." he suggested "Maybe what you need is fresh air, to cool off and all... we could go tho the park, just you and me... I'll buy you an ice cream..." he was running out of options, I hate myself.

"I–" I stopped talking as a second voice interrupted Mello's suggestions, it was L.

I couldn't hear what he was saying but after a while there was movement and Mello was gone, I could just tell. But L didn't sit down again.

"Destiny..." he seemed nervous "can I talk to you?" He asked.

I didn't answer.

He didn't sigh this time.

"You don't have to come out, but could I come in? We can just talk for a while..." He mumbled.

I wondered what he was trying to do, but after a few seconds of him not speaking and not leaving I got up and unlocked the door. But I didn't open it, I crossed back to the bed.

L figured out the door was unlocked and opened it slowly, like he was expecting gunfire.

I didn't speak first and he didn't come any closer, but he did close the door behind him.

We just stared at each other for a long time.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know how upset you'd be over this..." He said after a while, he did seem sorry but it was still his fault he was in trouble.

"If you had known, would you have let me watch the tape?" I frowned.

"I'd ask you what to do in this situation first, but yes." He admitted.

"I wouldn't have told you." I pouted, hugging my panda closer.

"Can I do anything to help you feel better?" He asked, he really seemed like he wanted to talk.

"You can _not die_." I pointed out.

"I promise not to die."

"You're not really certain about that."

"I'll stay safe, Destiny, I promise."

"Are you sure? I... don't want to lose my dad..." I mumbled.

"You won't." He assured me, finally crossing the room and sitting on the bed by my side.

He wrapped his arms around me in a awkward hug and I snuggled back against him.

"Promise?" I asked.

"I promise." he whispered in my ear.

"I'm dating Mello." I decided to announce.

He chuckled.

"What?"

"You're an interesting couple. He's a lot like you." L explained.

"And I'm a lot like you." I stated. I smiled at him.

"I know..." He smiled back.

"Don't die, ok, Dad?" I requested, closing my eyes and curling up even closer to him, still hugging my panda.

"I won't." he repeated.

"I named him Ryuzaki." I pressed my panda against his chest to show who I meant.

He laughed again.

"He looks like you, Mr. No–Sleep." I grumbled.

"And you're a lot like me." L mused. I sighed and snuggled closer. He wouldn't be able to get up until I said so.

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**Author's Note: **Technically, this is a day late again, but it's one in the morning so not by much. Thanks for reading and thanks for the reviews!


	25. Chapter 25

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Death Note.

**Credit: **Original idea by Yami Yugi Alexander the 4th.

**Chapter 25**

**Enemies**

Yagami had left the room not long after talking to L. And after Destiny fell asleep on L for a while she decided to leave her room to help him with the case.

Yagami was going to a meeting with the leaders of different countries to decide whether L or the director–general would be killed by the second Kira.

Sadly the answer was obvious already and he hadn't even gotten here yet.

L was still sitting on Destiny's bed, waiting for Yagami and the rest of the task force members to show up so they could start their meeting.

He was also trying to think of a way out of dying. He had made a promise to survive this ordeal but no ideas had really stood out yet.

He was half considering asking for a second opinion on it, but there wasn't anyone to ask. Destiny would be to upset about him not really having a plan to help him think of one and none of the task force members were as intelligent as the children from Wammy's...

Mello wouldn't be much help either, he would try to help but his personal feelings would get in the way of his reasoning. And Matt would suggest something from a video game...

There really wasn't much hope left here... unless Kira could help...

- - - - - - - - - - - -

"Cake." I mumbled as I poured over the recipe book, L needed some home made cake and I had never touched an oven in my life, there was no point in lying about it, I'm hopeless.

But I'm going to try!

Flour

Sugar

Eggs

Butter

Water...

It took three hours for me to figure it out but, after asking Watari for help, I baked a cake!

It was the single greatest achievement of my short life and I couldn't wait for L to try it. Sadly, Watari had done most of the baking and he had filled it with cream but I mixed all the stuff together and set the timer!

I placed a large strawberry on top of the first slice before walking into the main room, proudly displaying my creation to anyone and everyone there.

Yagami was due in three minutes and I was ready to learn what the world leaders had said about the second Kira. I also wanted to hear L's plan to get out of the broadcast that he would obviously be requested to do.

"I made a cake!" I smiled happily, L looked up, obviously curious about my new skill.

I placed the slice down in front of him and stepped back to watch him eat it.

At that exact moment Yagami walked into the room. I smiled at him, still only thinking about my cake.

I missed L poking it with his fork nervously.

"How did it go, Chief?" Matsuda asked.

"Just as I thought, Ryuzaki... world leaders have talked it over among themselves and... they're demanding that L... not a stand–in, but the real L... appear on T.V..." Yagami sighed.

Everyone had expected it but I still felt a fresh wave of fear for L.

"After doing almost nothing to help with the investigation, they don't even try to come up with some alternative. Kira says jump, they ask how high..." Yagami complained.

"Their decision is both right and reasonable." L stated. "It's simply unacceptable for the police to work with Kira. And if it's between me and the director–general, of course it should be me. I'm the one who challenged Kira and said I'd capture him. It's the right decision."

He took a sip of his coffee but didn't touch my cake yet. Not like I could blame him.

"But... that means you'll be..." Matsuda stopped talking, the rest was clear.

"What worries me more is that when I appear on T.V. and I intend to... if Kira knows nothing about me, then even if it's really me out there... how do I get him to believe I'm L?"

"What?!" I shouted, he said he wouldn't die, which means he can't go on T.V. but he intends to? "You promised! You said you had a plan!"

He took a bite of the cake and looked at me as he chewed. Eating was a form of stalling...

I waited, glaring at him.

"I suppose I don't have a concrete plan but I do have an idea that might work." L swallowed.

"Might? Ryuzaki!" I shouted.

I saw Yagami flinch out of the corner of my eye and wondered why he was the only one not enjoying me yelling at L. Matsuda seemed frightened but entertained. We're all doomed.

"Destiny, you must know that no plan is 100 percent successful before it's attempted, any plan could fail." L mentioned "But at the same time, any plan might succeed."

"So, this plan is at least 90 percent successful?" I asked.

"No..." He took another bite of cake "... I'd say roughly 64 percent, but I don't want to die either, I wouldn't hold back when attempting to save my own life."

"I can't believe 64 is enough for you..." I moaned.

"I don't intend to die, after all, being killed by Kira would be bad enough, it would be just pathetic dying at the hands of an opportunist pretending to be Kira..." He sighed.

"What?!" Came a collective shout from the task force.

"What do you mean, Ryuzaki?!" Yagami clarified.

"It occurred to me as I was watching those videos... that this Kira... is highly likely to be a fake. Or more precisely, a second Kira." L stated.

I hadn't really expected him to figure that out. But he is L, I should stop underestimating him...

"A second Kira?!" I was going to get a headache if they kept shouting in unison...

"Yes. I considered the possibility of his being an accomplice, but find that to be unlikely. Watching his first video is what made me think of it." L picked the first of the four videos up off the table "This first video wasn't aired, but was made to convince Sakura T.V. that the sender was actually Kira. It was made to be viewed by Sakura staff only."

I wonder if he's going to pick up on the eye difference...

"The envelope is postmarked April 13. It arrived at Sakura T.V. the next day, and three days after that the murders announced in the video took place." L continued.

"But if murders announced three days in advance actually happened, I'd say that's pretty convincing..." Matsuda cut in, he had a point but he wasn't thinking it through.

"I was not convinced that the sender was Kira." L stated, eating the last bite of my cake.

"But... why not? I don't get it." Aizawa asked "I watched this video too, and I never thought..."

"Didn't you get the feeling that the victims here were completely different from Kira's past victims?" L asked, stabbing the strawberry with his fork "It's not just that their crimes were much too minor. T.V. celebrities caught with some drugs is something only women's magazines make a big fuss about... I actually went and checked, and as of April 13, the only television coverage it had received was on daytime tabloid shows. Doesn't that strike you as strange?"

So the victims were his clue? I just guessed that Yagami Raito wasn't the type to give up half his life for a few criminals...

"That director, Demegawa, and others at Sakura use tabloid show stories as fodder all the time, so it probably didn't seem suspicious to them... but I'd say these victims are clearly unlike the others. The real Kira has absolutely no need to prove himself with such small fry, and he wouldn't even think of it. It would be much more his style to hold off killing one or two of his usual hard–core victims until the appointed time, and kill them then. That would be convincing."

"But if a second Kira wanted to make people believe he was the real Kira... he wouldn't use a criminal that the real Kira might actually eliminate before the Sakura people saw his video. If he gave advance notice of a serious criminal's death, then the real Kira might get him first. And if the time and date he announced were off, Sakura T.V. wouldn't believe him." L explained.

"... but... maybe he deliberately used someone that T.V. people would know... well, I guess that's pushing it..." Matsuda commented.

"Yeah, but I don't think we can definitely say it's a second Kira just from that..." Aizawa reasoned.

"Hmm." Yagami seemed to understand that L was always right "Ryuzaki... what's the probability that this is a second Kira?"

"This time, I'd say it's over seventy percent." this answer met obvious unrest. "I don't like his style... it's not like Kira at all..."

"Not like Kira...?" Aizawa wondered.

"The way those videos were made. It's just too sloppy. And I'm not only talking about the bad lettering. It's the sound, too. He's playing back sound recorded on other equipment and taking it in through the video camera's mike. At places where I assume outside noise got in, he rewound the tape and did it over. Ordinarily, you would transfer the sound by connecting the tape recorder to the video camera with a cable. You wouldn't use the camera's mike. This is just so amateurish."

"And then making a T.V. network broadcast these tapes and using police chiefs as bargaining chips... it was obvious that doing things like this would arouse public hostility against him. Plus, those T.V. announcers who were killed were innocent victims... if I were Kira, I'd be pretty furious."

"So far, aside from people who were after him, Kira avoided attacking innocent people. His method was to make his views gradually penetrate and change society. Kira's aim is not a dictatorship based on fear." L finished.

I was content to watch L figure things out for now, with all the information he figured out about the second Kira it wasn't too hard to think of a way to distract him before the broadcast in three days.

"So... maybe these fingerprints are actually..." Aizawa mumbled.

"Hmm? Fingerprints?" Yagami asked.

"The lab found matching fingerprints on the stamps and videos that didn't belong to Sakura staff." He explained.

"We thought there was no way Kira would leave prints..." Matsuda commented.

"So we thought he made someone else handle the stuff, maybe..." Aizawa finished.

"Hmm. I'd say it's possible the prints are the second Kira's. It would be smarter to leave no fingerprints at all, but... if there is a second Kira out there, he's far less intelligent and methodical then the real Kira. It could be he didn't think about the videos and packaging being seized by the police." L agreed.

"Well, even if we restricted our search to Japan, it would be impossible to take fingerprints from everyone in the country, so it would be difficult to pinpoint the sender with this. We have to catch him first, and then compare the prints. Interesting thought... how little these fingerprints are..."

"Little?" Yagami asked.

"A child's or a small woman's..." L clarified.

I was glad no one turned towards me.

"That tallies with what my son said to you at the hospital, about Kira being an affluent child..." Yagami reminded him.

"Whether it's Kira or a second Kira, perhaps your son is right. So anyway, I thought about it further on the assumption that it's a second Kira... and even if the two Kiras don't kill people in the same way... I believe that if we capture one, we'll gain some clues at least as to how to capture the other one."

"In my estimation, the real Kira is the smarter of the two. And if I were him... I would try to find out who the second Kira is before the police do. I would gauge whether he sympathized with me, and if he did, I would make full use of him... and ultimately, before the police close it, I'd eliminate him..."

I shivered at his tone.

"That means we're in a race with Kira to track down the second Kira... which in turn means we have the opportunity to capture the real Kira." L concluded.

The task force members were silent.

"Yagami-san. Would it be alright with you if I asked your son to work with us when he has the time?" L asked.

"Can I take that to mean he's 100 percent cleared of suspicion?" Yagami almost had another heart attack, his son was really important to him...

"No, I can't say that... but I do think he has very good reasoning abilities... in fact... I think your son could be a valuable asset to us in apprehending the second Kira." L answered.

"Well, if my son says yes, I have no reason to stop him."

"We don't mind either..." Matsuda approved.

"I'm pretty sure your son's sense of justice will lead him to agree. However... please keep it a secret from him that this Kira may be a fake. I want him to think he's helping us hunt down the same Kira we've been pursuing all along." L requested.

Translation: Your son is going to help because he's Kira, don't tell him we know as much as he does so I can catch him off guard.

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**Author's Note: **Late again... I'm leaving for a week so I won't update every day but I'll add five chapters on Friday– I hope– then I'll leave for another two weeks and try to make up for it later. I hate copying from the Manga. Thanks for reading and thanks for the reviews!


	26. Chapter 26

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Death Note.

**Credit: **Original idea by Yami Yugi Alexander the 4th.

**Chapter 26**

**Manipulation**

Yagami had called his son to come help, it was probably going to be about half an hour before he got here so naturally L tried to con me into leaving the room.

"If you want to go out with Mello, now would be a good time, we can handle things here."

"I'll go if you tell me what you're going to do when Yagami-kun gets here." I bargained.

"I'm going to have him watch the second Kira's video and see if he comes to the same conclusions I did."

"And then?"

"Then I'll have him pretend to be Kira and send in a video to call off the broadcast in three days."

"Good idea but what if he doesn't figure out there's a second Kira?" not likely, he probably know that much by now.

"Then I'll tell him and carry on with the plan, I know what I'm doing." He sounded like a pouting child.

"Ok, but you'd better be here when I get back." I warned.

"Or what?" he smirked.

"I'll figure it out later." I frowned.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

Mello had been too happy to get out, it was probably because L had told him to get me out of the room... the world is against me.

We walked down the street towards a small café, they had really good cake. Watari hadn't been told to drive us, L probably wanted him there to help, or at least close by. Walking was fun though... I don't mind.

Right about now, Raito would be walking in the front door, and I was having lunch with Mello. But L can take care of himself.

"Destiny, can you at least try to pay attention?" Mello sighed.

"What were you saying?"

"I was _asking_ if you want to go to the park or somewhere else." He grumbled.

"Oh, let's go to the park, you promised me ice cream." I reminded him.

I need to focus on Mello, L isn't my date.

We were walking around in circles through the park, sadly no ice cream stands had come into view yet but the conversation was much more interesting.

Mello had insisted that we eat somewhere more private, L's paranoia was rubbing off on him too. I couldn't think of a good way to say that I wanted to disobey L so I agreed but since dinner wasn't for another few hours we continued to map out the park.

"We've passed this tree before." Mello insisted.

"No we haven't, all the trees look the same!" I was not lost.

"Destiny, we're going in circles."

"I'll prove we're not." I stated, breaking a small branch off the tree and leaning it up against the trunk. "Let's keep going." I ordered.

Mello followed, it took us ten minutes of circling to arrive back at the same tree.

"We're lost." Mello pointed out.

"I doubt you could lead us out." I sniffed, it would be dark in about an hour.

"I bet I can." He challenged.

"Then do it." I accepted.

"Fine. Follow me." He walked off.

Ten minutes later we were back at the same tree.

"Told you." I bragged.

"You're right, all trees do look the same."

"This park isn't that big, we just need to keep walking straight until we get out." I suggested.

"Right, let's go that way." he pointed off into the trees.

"We just came from that way, let's go in the opposite direction."

"That's where we've been going, and how far has it gotten us?"

"Our strategy's different now, we can get out no matter which way we go." I reminded him.

"Fine, we'll go that way." He allowed.

We didn't end up back at the same tree again, that was a start, but I was starting to get the feeling we were walking through the longer side of the rectangular forest.

At last we came to and opening and slid out of the trees into a street. It was a quiet street so we weren't going to get hit by a car but we didn't know where we were.

"Let's walk along the outside of the park until we get back to where we went in." Mello suggested.

"Good plan." I agreed and we started to walk back towards the tall buildings that marked the center of the city.

Half an hour later we found where we went in and made our way from there to a nice quiet restaurant. We were seated and given menus to look over before we were left alone.

Luckily, even though we were lost, we had managed to beat the dinner crowds and get a table right away.

"What are you getting?" I asked, Mello looked up from his menu.

"I'm not sure, I've never really liked sea food." He admitted. "What are you getting?"

"Cheesecake."

"Figures."

It wasn't awkward talking to Mello but after getting lost in the park it was a little hard to think of something we hadn't talked about yet.

"Do you think my dad's ok?" I asked after a little while.

"I bet he's fine." Mello smiled, reassuringly.

"Yeah, but I just keep worrying about him." I sighed.

"He's probably eating cheesecake too, you know?" Mello joked.

"Yeah, he wasn't too happy last time I was there to eat the last slice of his cake." I laughed.

Mello laughed too, silence over.

Our food got there quicker then I'd thought, Mello had ordered a chocolate cake after giving up on the menu.

"Try this." I offered, holding out a fork–full of strawberry cheesecake.

"I don't really like cheesecake." He admitted.

"You'd like it if it were chocolate." I pointed out.

"Ok, I don't like _strawberry _cheesecake." He corrected.

"Fine, then I get a bite of your cake." I sniffed.

He paused, obviously torn between giving up his cake and eating mine.

"Fine." He gave up and took the fork from me.

The look on his face was priceless as he brought the cake to him mouth, I almost laughed out loud at him. He chewed slowly, making a show of frowning at the taste.

"You like it." I laughed.

"It's ok." he handed me my fork back.

"My turn." I smiled, holding out my hand for a piece of his cake.

"Hey, you said I wouldn't have to give you a piece if I ate yours!" He complained.

"No, I said you would have to give me a piece if you didn't eat mine. I never told you that you wouldn't have to give me a piece if you did." I clarified.

"No way, that's not fair."

"Once is once, you got a bite of mine so I get one of yours." I smiled at him.

He frowned but handed me his next bite. It was really good and Mello snatched back his fork before I could pull it out of my mouth.

He dug into his cake with relentless force after that, like he was trying to eat it all before I asked for another piece.

I laughed when he got hiccups.

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**Author's Note: **I really meant to update before I left, honest, but two days wasn't enough to write five chapters. Mostly because I was lazy. Then I left for a two week vacation and I didn't have a computer! I swear I went through withdrawals! Band camps starts this week but I will try to update! Thanks for reading and thanks for the reviews!


	27. Chapter 27

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Death Note.

**Credit: **Original idea by Yami Yugi Alexander the 4th.

**Chapter 27**

**I Do**

"'Don't come back 'til late!' he says!" I complained to Mello in a voice intended to Mock L's.

"It's because that Yagami kid's there and L thinks he's Kira." Mello only half guessed.

"So what does that have to do with me? Raito already knows that L and I know each other."

"So maybe he didn't want you in the way." Mello joked.

I sighed in frustration. "Maybe you're right... I haven't been much help so far..." because I won't tell him that Raito is Kira but still...

"Destiny, I was joking." Mello frowned at my lack of humor.

"I know but it's true, isn't it? He doesn't want me to distract him from the case!" we were sitting in a small café, watching the news, the announcement from 'Kira' had already taken place so Raito should be going home soon.

Or at least I hope he does because I know I want to.

"He'll have to include you sooner or later, you live there and he can't keep kicking you out every time something happens." Mello sipped at his hot chocolate.

"I know, but if I get in the way isn't it better for me to stay out?" I pouted.

"Out where? Destiny, you _live_ there, and you know he won't just let you move out."

"I don't want to get in the way." I stated.

"So don't, but you can't leave all together."

"Why not?"

"Because I won't let you, stupid, you're my girlfriend and you're staying here with me. It's your fault we're here anyway..."

"I'm your girlfriend?" I mumbled, I hadn't thought of our relationship that way yet.

"Did the rest of the statement escape you?"

"Yes. I'm your girlfriend?!" I want an answer. It is a question.

"Do you want to be?" He seems nervous...

"Yeah... I'm mean, if you're serious about it..." I'm not blushing.

"I'm serious, I wouldn't have said it if I wasn't serious." He sniffed. He was blushing.

"So look me in the eye and say that you want me to be your girlfriend." I insisted. He was looking at the wall with undue intensity to avoid my eyes and to hid the obvious pink coloring of his face.

"What if I don't want to?"

"Then I don't want to be your girlfriend, you coward." I frowned.

"Fine."

"Fine."

He looked me in the eye but for a few seconds he didn't say anything. That made me blush more– not that I was blushing in the first place– did he really want me to be his girlfriend? I don't brush my hair and I never sleep. I'm starting to get bags under my eyes like L and all I eat is sugar, I'm pale and have big eyes with a weird dilated pupil and almost no iris. I see people's names and life spans when I look at them. I don't do my nails or wear make–up or nice clothes and I don't know what a girlfriend is supposed to do...

"Destiny... will you..." He looked away for a second, blushing, before turning back to me "Will you be... my girlfriend?"

I didn't know what to say, I obviously didn't know what a girlfriend is meant to do and I don't want Mello to hate me for messing up but I really like him and want to be his girlfriend...

"Yeah, I will– but, Mells, please don't expect a lot from me. I don't know what a girlfriend is supposed to do." I'm blushing.

"Me neither." he admitted "I think everyone is different..."

"Oh, so... what do you want me to do?" I feel a bit better knowing that I'm not the only confused one here.

"I don't know..." He finally broke eye contact to look at the table and drink more hot chocolate.

"We could walk back together." I suggested.

"We'll have to anyway, there's only one room key..."

"Ok, we can hold hands or something?"

"While we walk back?"

"Why not?"

"Ok."

Is it possible to get internal sun burn from blushing too much?

I took another bite of the eclair I had been working on for the past half hour.

Mello sipped his hot chocolate again.

"So..."

"Maybe we should start heading back now?" I asked.

"What about your dad?" we can't call him L in public and 'my dad' is the best cover we've come up with so far.

"He can't keep us out forever." I reminded him.

"True, it's almost midnight." Mello agreed.

"So... we walk back?"

"Yeah, let's do that..."

This may not be starting off like we'd hoped...

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**Author's Note: **This is a whole page shorter then my usual minimum but I'm so tired. It's hard to write during band camp! There's almost no plot to this chapter, I just didn't want to keep going, this was actually supposed to be a part of the next chapter. I will continue to update for this week but if I don't update on Monday it's because I don't possess the inhuman ability to be two places at once (I make myself laugh) that I would need to write during band camp. If I don't update on Monday the I won't update until the next week because I hate my numbers being off by one. I promise I'll try to update though, really! Thanks for reading and thanks for the reviews!


	28. Chapter 28

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Death Note.

**Credit: **Original idea by Yami Yugi Alexander the 4th.

**Chapter 28**

**Submarine**

We weren't supposed to come back before L called us but I wanted to go home.

Mainly because holding hands with Mello as we walked was all I could think of to show that I was his girlfriend...

_I'm his girlfriend!_

The smile on my face was way too obvious so I tried to close my mouth before He saw how excited I was. I'd never had a boyfriend before!

Half an hour ago I wouldn't have been able to think about anything but L and Raito but now Mello's my boyfriend!

The hotel was only a couple blocks away from the café we'd been in so walking there didn't take long at all, I considered circling back around so I could walk with Mello for another few minutes, but that was too obvious.

Besides, if we're going to ignore L's orders and come home early we may as well get home really early.

We took the main elevator up just to bother L more, he had cameras in his room to watch the elevators and the lobby in case we needed to leave quickly.

We made it to the hotel room way too fast, but I was a bit nervous about actually going in, L had told us to stay out until he called but we'd still come home early, there was no real excuse for it.

But what's the point of staying out late? Raito's there so L doesn't want us near by, but Raito's already seen me with L, besides, how much of a trump–card could two kids be, anyway?

With that last bit of reassurance, I opened the door and entered, still holding Mello's hand.

"You're early." L was standing right in front of the door, he'd probably seen us on the cameras.

"It's almost eleven." I stated.

"I remember telling you to stay out until I called." He frowned.

I'm not an expert on family roles but doesn't the father normally tell the daughter to come home early after a date? This seems to be happening the other way around...

"I wanted to come home." I frowned.

"Raito-kun's still here."

"I guessed, but I'm tired, I won't bother you."

I pulled Mello with me into my room and closed the door, I'd only caught a glimpse of Raito as I passed the main room but he'd seem me for the same amount of time. If he's a genius like L thinks, then he'll have me face memorized already.

"We should have stayed out." Mello complained, but not loudly, he knew it was too late to change the fact that we came home early.

"How much damage can we cause from here?" I mumbled, laying down on my bed, Mello sat down next to me and sighed.

"L must have had a reason for kicking us out, Destiny, he needed us out of the hotel."

"Matt didn't have to leave." I pointed out.

"Matt's in Watari's room, technically he did leave." Mello popped my argument.

"What if Raito is Kira?" I asked, testing him.

"Then we could all die." Mello frowned, he saw my point, be just wouldn't admit it.

"How would he kill us?" I pushed "He doesn't know our names, and even if he did, he doesn't know L's name. He can't kill us without killing L first." I stated.

"Maybe that's why he's staying so late, to see who's working with L and kill us all at once, he could have eyes like you." He has a point.

"No, he can't have my eyes." I insisted.

"Why not? You have your eyes."

He can't because the eye trade costs half your life, Raito doesn't seem stupid enough to make a deal like that... but I can't say that to Mello.

"Because he would have killed us by now, he's already seen L and me and all the task force members, the only person he hasn't seem that he'd be looking for is Watari." That makes sense, right?

"Destiny, you called yourself Kira when you first showed up, and I know it was because you're from the future, or whatever, so you knew Kira would show up but what were you planning to do?" Mello asked.

"I wasn't going to do anything at first. I only came here to find my dad, but after staying with you and Matt, I wanted to help with the case." because I didn't want to lose you...

Mello opened his mouth to say something but a chorus of 'goodnight, Yagami-kun's from the task force members stopped his sentence. A moment later the front door opened and closed, signaling Raito's departure.

"Wait for it..." Mello mumbled.

"Wait for what?" I had just finished asking when L opened the door and walked inside, frowning.

"That, obviously." Mello chuckled.

"Mello, could I talk to Destiny alone for a while?" L asked, he didn't seem overly angry, just tired.

"Sure, see you later, Destiny." He closed the door behind himself.

_Some boyfriend you turned out to be_.

"Destiny, I told you to stay out until I called." L started to lecture.

"Dad, I wanted to come home, how am I supposed to avoid whatever problem you have here if you don't tell me anything about it?" I challenged.

"You shouldn't need to know everything, the fact that I need you to stay away should be enough." L sat down on the side of the bed and... pouted...

"It's not enough!" I shouted, how dare he look cute! Puppy dog eyes aren't supposed to work for parents!

"Destiny, you could be killed here." He didn't raise his voice but there was obvious urgency in it.

"I won't be killed, you're in more trouble then I am!" that may not be true, but it suits my argument.

"I'm not going to fight with you ever this, Destiny, if you can't follow orders I'll have to get you your own room."

"No! I don't want my own room, L, I want to know what you're hiding from me!" He makes me so mad sometimes!

"I'm not hiding anything from you, I'm just trying to protect you."

"I don't believe you."

"I'll prove it."

"How?"

"Ask me anything, I'll answer whatever questions you have."

"... fine, what happened while Mello ani I were out?" Is He really going to answer?

"Yagami-kun watched the videos and suggested the possibility of a second Kira, then he wrote the script for a fake Kira video that we sent to every news station in the Kanto region."

"That's it?" Every station?

"Yes." Ok.

"So what did you talk about after that tennis match a few days ago?"

"I tested his reasoning ability and we discussed whether or not I'm really L."

"Fine, so what are you going to do if he's Kira?"

"Arrest him."

"I'm serious."

"So am I."

"Dad..."

"My turn to ask a question."

"Only one?"

"Yes, but you have to answer honestly."

"Ok..."

"How was your date?"

... really...?

"It was fun... we... uh... got lost in the park and... went to dinner, then we went to a café... and... he asked me to be his girlfriend..." Am I nervous?

"Did you accept?"

"Yes..."

"Congratulations."

"Thanks."

Awkward silence.

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**Author's Note: **I'm sorry, I couldn't update during band camp! But camp's over now so I should be able to start updating again– for real this time– but school starts next week so I may not be able to update every day, I won't drop this story though, it will get finished, I promise!


	29. Chapter 29

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Death Note.

**Credit: **Original idea by Yami Yugi Alexander the 4th.

**Chapter 29**

**Reply**

"We've found another letter from the second Kira while going through Sakura T.V.'s mail." I explained to Mello, he and Matt were in my room to avoid Raito who was on his way to the hotel.

"Well, at least he kicked us out for a good reason, I thought he just wanted Matt to stop hogging the T.V." Mello sighed.

"I'm going to stay out there, I'm not missing another meeting because of L's suspect." I stated.

"And what happens when L sends you out again?"

"He won't, I just have to time it so I walk in right before Raito, that way L doesn't have time to kick me out." It seems like a decent plan.

"Good luck." Mello waved.

"Thanks, I'll fill you in later." I smiled.

The main door to the room opened a few seconds later and Raito was greeted by the task force members. I slipped out of my room to the main room and stood in the door way waiting to be noticed.

Of course L saw me first, he had just finished asking what Raito thought of the diary page that had come with the second Kira's letter.

He silently left Matsuda and Raito while Matsuda explained what he knew about the panic the diary would cause if it were broadcast.

"I told you to stay in your room." He was keeping his voice down.

"I know, but I'm sick of missing all the meetings, I came to Japan to help with the case, not sit in a hotel room all day." I sniffed, Raito had already seen me.

"Fine, but you can't pull anymore stunts like this." He agreed, he knew that Raito was watching us, my leaving now would only make him suspicious.

"Deal." I smiled, then took a seat in the main room and folded my hands in my lap to show I wasn't going to interrupt.

L sighed.

"It'd be a total panic." Matsuda continued. "The media would be screaming that going to the game would get you killed by Kira, and other non–sense."

"Frankly, it seems idiotic but..." L cut it, taking a seat across from me and eating one of the chocolates on the table. "... that also makes it difficult to react to." He had everyone's undivided attention as he chewed. "If we broadcast the diary, then we'll also have to announce that the game is cancelled. If we don't broadcast the diary, then the second Kira won't act."

"If the game is cancelled, He may get angry and do who knows what..." Aizawa disagreed.

"That shouldn't be a problem. The second Kira seems to revere Kira. Let's assume that he's sworn to the Kira we created not to Kill unnecessarily anymore. Anyway, for now... let's broadcast the diary and announce the cancellation of the game. And also, that we will be closing off the streets around the Tokyo Dome and conducting an investigation there. We received so much police cooperation during that Sakura T.V. incident, I believe we could manage that. Then we'll create a reply from the 'real' Kira saying 'Understood, let's meet.'"

"You're not thinking they'd come after it's announced that there will be police presence around the Tokyo Dome?" Yagami asked, his question made sense... there had to be more to the diary, but I hadn't looked at it yet.

"I don't think that Kira will come, but... I'm not sure about the second Kira. I don't know how stupid he is... also... let's assume he isn't that stupid and... think about whether there's any other hidden messages located in this diary." L held the diary up and looked at it more carefully, searching for any hidden messages.

Raito watched him closely, the attention was almost a declaration of guilt but L wouldn't find anything that had to do with a notebook, that wasn't what he was looking for.

"If there's some kind of code that only those who have this Shinigami ability would understand, then I won't be able to find it, but... we should definitely keep out eyes on any location that's mentioned in the diary. '22nd My friend and I showed off our notebooks in Aoyama–'"

_That's it!_

'Notebooks' is the clue. So the real meeting place is Aoyama on the 22nd? That's really obvious if you know what to look for, Raito would have already figured it out.

"This may be a waste of time, but let's put our attention on people holding notebooks in Aoyama and clothing stores in Shibuya. We'll start installing as many cameras as possible in Aoyama and Shibuya. And that day, we'll fill the streets with all the plain–clothed police officers we can get." L decided.

"But if Kira or the second Kira do come and notice people trying to capture them, won't they try to kill them? It's dangerous." Yagami pointed out.

"We're already announce that we will be 'investigating' the Tokyo Dome... I don't think they'll have any problems if we question people, no, even if we take fingerprints. If he's so stupid that he's planning to come, knowing of the police presence and prepared to kill in order to see Kira, then we'll catch him easily..." L stated.

"'Catch him easily'...? but there will be victims..." Matsuda worried.

"No, what Ryuzaki is saying is that the second Kira couldn't be that stupid..." Yagami clarified.

"No, I'm saying that as long as we are on this investigation, our lives are on the line. But for Aoyama and Shibuya, I doubt Kira or the second Kira will be killing regular people. Our officers will be dressed normally and simply be on the lookout for anyone suspicious. If they spot someone, then we will do nothing immediately, but investigate them later." He finished.

"So people like Asahi-san whose appearance screams out that they are a cop will not be on the beat." L added, as an after thought.

I laughed with Matsuda.

"I'll go, I fit right in at Aoyama and Shibuya." Matsuda offered.

"I'll go too." Raito joined in, obviously he wanted to find the second Kira before the task force does.

Yagami protested but Raito easily convinced him that it was alright.

"Can I go?" I asked, L frowned at me.

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because I want you here to help me watch the surveillance tapes." He's lying.

"You don't need me, you have Asahi-san and the others." I pouted.

"You can't go."

"What are the chances of me getting hurt?"

"That's not what I'm basing my decision on." He wasn't joking, his tone said firmly 'conversation over.'

"Fine." I'm going.

"We will broadcast this diary tomorrow. Asahi-san. Can you get cooperation from the police before tomorrow night's news?" L asked, ignoring how I was sticking my tongue out at him.

"Right, I'll do my best." Yagami assured.

"Also, and this is very important... it's true that this is a chance to catch Kira, or at least the second Kira. But at this point we must also think about Kira and the second Kira joining forces. I want to strengthen our security even more." No way, this was just an excuse for L to ground me...

"What do you mean?" Aizawa asked.

"Don't reveal that you are working on this case to anyone, of course. Avoid going outside as police officers as much as possible, and I want you to destroy all photos of yourselves but the ones on your person. I've left no photos of myself anywhere. Even at To–Oh University, where I'm registered. Even the security cameras at this hotel have been made to deactivate when we enter or leave." I didn't even know about the camera thing... "I want you to gather up all your files at the police headquarters, all your photos at home and ones you've given away... and dispose of them."

"Ryuzaki, does this mean you still suspect my son?" Yagami asked, he seemed upset about the orders but it must be a pain to have to destroy years of family photos and memories, I bet at least one member will start carrying their family photos with them so they don't have to get rid of them.

"Unfortunately He's not totally in the clear, and that's part of it, but... this is because the second Kira can see a persons name by looking at their face." My eyes, I hadn't thought about Raito figuring out about my eyes, hopefully he won't connect the two, L wasn't very specific, probably for that reason.

Raito closed his eyes for a second, he caught the problem, but he thought it out quick enough to cover for the second of near–shock on his face.

"You're right, Ryuzaki... it's impressive you were able to think that far." He's still trying to cover while he figures out what gave away the eyes.

I decided to make it easier for him. I stood up and left the room, maybe he'll catch the hint.

______________________________________________________________________________

**Author's Note: **I'm tired.


	30. Chapter 30

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Death Note.

**Credit: **Original idea by Yami Yugi Alexander the 4th.

**Chapter 30**

**Rules**

"Hey, Mells, we're going on another date!" I smiled as I entered the room, Mello was sitting on my bed reading a book.

"Let me guess, Aoyama on the 22nd?" He smirked over the top of his novel... he was holding it upside down.

"You were eves dropping... but why'd you guess the 22nd?"

"Fifty–fifty chance." He turned the page before discretely turning the book over.

"Ok, so we're going, right?"

"Going where?"

"To Aoyama...?" He'd said it himself.

"Where in Aoyama?" He rolled his eyes.

"Uh... to where Kira is?" He has a point.

"And where's that, Destiny? I don't want to spend a day walking around in circles, especially if we're sneaking around behind L's back. If you find a specific place to wait, I'll go." He put down the book.

"Fine, Matt can I borrow your laptop?"

"Why?" Matt looked up from his game, he was holding it right–side up.

"Internet search." Duh.

"Fine."

"What'll you search for?" Mello asked.

"The entry said 'notebooks in Aoyama' so I'll search notebook and Aoyama, if the second Kira was smart He would only use a small hint like that..." I mumbled as I opened the laptop, Matt had a ton of electronics with him but his laptop was in the best condition.

I opened a search window and entered 'Notebook Aoyama' the page that came up was full of clubs and stores in Aoyama but one club was called the Note Blue, and to make it even more obvious there was a concert there on the 22nd. Aoyama meant 'blue mountain' so it was near the top of the list, easy for Kira to find.

"That's smart." I commented.

"You found it?" Mello leaned over my shoulder to look at the screen "That one?" He pointed.

"Yeah, it opens a little later in the day so we have plenty of time to get lunch first." I smiled at how convenient my plan was.

"Destiny, we're too young to go to a night club." Mello mentioned.

"We'll only need to watch the entrance for people with notebooks." I assured.

"What kind of notebook?"

"It doesn't matter." I frowned.

"There're a lot of holes in this plan..." He groaned.

"Oh well, Mells, it doesn't really matter, we're only going there to help L anyway, we don't have to catch them by ourselves." I reminded him.

"We shouldn't even be going, how are we going to get out of the house?"

"I'll think of something, calm down." I shut the laptop and got up "I'm going for cake." I announced.

"Ok, we'll be here." Mello rolled his eyes again.

I left the room sighing, Mello was nice, but he wasn't interested in breaking rules even to help L.

Speaking of whom...

"Destiny, how were you planning to sneak out? I remember telling you to stay here on the 22nd." L frowned at me.

"Don't sneak up on me like that!" I whispered harshly at him, that had been scary, I had turned away from the door and he was right behind me. "Does everyone here eves drop?"

"No, only those of us who need to know what's going on." He smirked at me!

I walked into the kitchen, leaving him behind.

"I want to go. I came here to help and Kira won't think I'm an agent, I'm thirteen." I insisted when he followed me into the kitchen.

"I don't want you going anywhere near Aoyama or Shibuya, Destiny, it's not safe." He sat down at the table and I got a cake out of the fridge.

"I can take care of myself, I know you want to protect me but if you don't let me go, I _will _sneak out." I set the cake down in front of him and sat in a chair across the table from him.

"And what will you do if you see Kira or the second Kira? How do I know you won't try to apprehend them yourself?" He asked, taking a fork full of cake to his mouth mid–sentence.

"I'm not stupid, if I saw Kira I would remember his name and investigate him later, just like the rest of the task force is supposed to." I frowned, he really didn't trust me.

"Hmm." he chewed, thoughtfully while staring at me.

"I won't mess up, chances are nothing will happen. I even found a meeting place that you didn't think of!"

"The 'Note Blue?' you're too young to go to a night club."

"I won't go inside, please L, me and Mello can wait across the street and watch, we won't have to stay with Matsuda and Raito..." I'm not begging, but if I did, it would sound like this.

"Fine, but I'm choosing where you wait in advance, and you won't leave that spot for any reason." He didn't look convinced at all.

"Yay! Thanks, Dad, I promise I won't let you down!" I jumped out of my seat to hug him, he still wasn't comfortable with contact like that but I didn't care, I'd gotten permission to spy on Raito.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

"This is boring." Mello complained, we were sitting in a café across the street from the Note Blue.

"Yeah, but we can't leave this spot for any reason." I reminded him.

None of the other investigators had been told about the Note Blue, so Matsuda and Raito were wondering around Aoyama with a bunch of collage kids.

"I can't believe you agreed to this... how will this help anything?" Mello moped, sipping his chocolate milk.

"If we spot Kira or the second Kira I can see his name and we can investigate him later."

"You could see his name from the cameras in the room." He complained.

"Come on, Mells, you'd rather be back in the room?"

"Right now? Yeah, at least there I can watch T.V."

"You complain a lot..." I mumbled "If you need to get up and stretch, then go to the bathroom, I'll wait here and watch."

"I can't believe we're stuck here watching some club that hasn't opened yet _and _we won't be able to get into it when it does..." He got up and walk off, probably to the bathroom.

I'm a bad girlfriend, I'll have to make it up to him...

If I were the second Kira, waiting for Kira near a club that hasn't opened yet, I would wait in this café and watch the entrance... if the 'shinigami eyes' really have something to do with the notebook itself then the second Kira won't be able to see notebook owner's life spans either... or at least that's my guess, it makes sense, considering I can't see Raito's life span and he owns a notebook...

I glanced around the café, but most of the people weren't facing me so I couldn't see their names, it would have helped a lot if I could see the second Kira's shinigami but I'd never touched their notebook so I'm just as blind as any other person in that respect.

I looked out the wall–sized window just in time to see Raito and Matsuda's group pass by, I ducked a little lower in my seat and pulled down the rim of my hat to cover my face, as far as they knew, I was back in the hotel with L.

A few seconds passed after their, large, group left, then a girl in a school uniform with short black hair stood and left without paying her check, I tried to see her face but she was walking away from me.

Just before she left the café a waiter called to her about her bill and she turned around to look at him, I saw her name as she dug through her purse for cash.

A name, but no life span. _Amane Misa_.

As she pulled a hand full of bills out of her bag a credit card fell out, she picked it up but when the waiter asked her if she wanted to pay with it she refused.

Misa Amane, the model, that's not fair... I was supposed to be Misa Amane.

______________________________________________________________________________

**Author's Note: **I have an orthodontist appointment on Wednesday, I might get my Braces off the week after that! Thanks for reading and thanks for the reviews!


	31. Chapter 31

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Death Note.

**Credit: **Original idea by Yami Yugi Alexander the 4th.

**Chapter 31**

**Busted**

"The 22nd in Aoyama, 24th in Shibuya. So far no evidence that anything happened. The only thing left in the dairy is the 30th at the Tokyo Dome..." Aizawa reported.

I couldn't tell L about Misa, if I said I couldn't see her life span then I'd be asked about Raito's life span to see if he's Kira too, if I said I couldn't see his he'd be guilty and if I said I could he'd be cleared even though he's guilty.

Plus, if I mentioned anything about my eyes around Raito he'd know what I was talking about and that's a scenario I can't predict yet.

"_Ryuzaki, Sakura T.V. has received a message from the second Kira. It's postmark is the 23__rd_." Watari announced through the computer.

"Again?!" Yagami shouted, he seemed upset but L was probably grateful for the leads.

"_I'll send you the file over this computer first._" Watari then sent the file and the L on the screen was replaced by the sloppy _Kira_ as the video played.

"_I was able to find Kira_." the, decidedly annoying, fake voice announced. "_People at the T.V. station, policemen, thank you all very much._"

How stupid is she? It would have made much more sense to keep that a secret or to just wait until after the Tokyo Dome was investigated so the police will think they met there. But instead she announces that she found him to the police? How has she not been caught?

Of course Raito is freaked out, he probably thinks that Misa's an idiot too... or actually, that the second Kira's and idiot.

"'Found him'? This is bad!" Aizawa stated, instantly the pessimist.

"Yes... so Kira and the second Kira have joined forces..." Yagami added.

Maybe the optimism in this situation is a little harder to find then I'd thought.

"We can't be sure they are together just yet. Until now, the second Kira has talked about wanting to meet Kira. Now he mentions 'finding him.' It's possible that he has merely located Kira, and hasn't contacted him yet." L mentioned.

Well, there's the optimism...

"I think we can say that at least up to the 23rd, they have not joined forces. If they had, I doubt Kira would have the second Kira tell us that he 'found him.' At this point, the police will have to send out a message directly to the second Kira..." L decided.

"Message?" Matsuda asked.

"Yes." L answered. "We have the police offer the second Kira leniency in exchange for the identity of Kira. This will be even more effective if Kira doesn't know who the second Kira is yet."

There's no way Misa will fall for this, that would mean the case ended one year after it started... not even a year, actually...

"Asahi-san, would it be possible to offer the second Kira immunity for information leading to the capture of Kira?" L asked.

"He's killed at least eight innocent people that we know of... we can't..." Yagami answered.

But was he answering from legal standards or his own moralistic standards?

"Then we'll remain vague about that and offer as much leniency as we can... how about that he'll be treated like a hero and the police will not come after him? I want this as soon as possible. It's 7:25 P.M. right now... prepare something to run on every station at 8:55." L ordered.

"Yes, understood." The task force members announced in unison.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

Raito should be safe, Misa doesn't seem like the squealing type... as depressing as that is.

The broadcast was a failure, like I– and probably L– had predicted, Misa didn't go to the police.

"Hello." Raito used the word to announce his presence more then to greet the others. It had been a day since the broadcast and we'd received another video...

"Raito-kun, you've come at a good time." L greeted him "We just received a video message from the second Kira."

"Again? That was fast..." Raito asked conversationally while he put his bag on the table by the door.

"Yes, it says this will be the final one..." L started the video before Raito could even sit down.

"_I have decided not to contact Kira. I thank the police for warning me. But I will help Kira and rid the world of evil until Kira accepts me. I will first pass judgement on the criminals that Kira hasn't yet punished. And then I will spread this power to those who deserve it, and make the world a better place._" The re–mixed voice of Misa announced.

Spread the power? What? Was she going to throw a death note scrap booking party? Or was that just a misleading comment... Raito probably met up with her and told her to add that in... but the thought of sending this video is just as stupid as the rest of her stunts...

She could have just stopped sending stuff in and pretended that Kira killed her or something when they tried to meet up...

"Seeing this... makes me feel that Kira and the second Kira have joined forces..." I can't wait to hear his reasoning for this.

"Why do you think so?" Raito asked, it was probably just me but I thought I heard his voice shaking a little.

"You didn't feel it? I figured you'd get the same impression I did, Raito." No '-kun?' "First, after wanting to meet Kira that much, the sudden one–eighty. Also... the thing about passing judgement on criminals... Kira hasn't, in order to be accepted. Why wasn't this done before? He just didn't think to do it? Most likely, the person was told by Kira to do it. And Kira ordered that their cooperation be kept secret." He explained through a mouthful of doughnut, which he then swallowed.

"I see..." Raito admitted "If that's true, then Kira's acting without thinking very much."

You think?

"Yes." L agreed. "Was the situation one where he wasn't able to put much thought into things...? or does he want us to know they have joined forces to see how we'd react? Since this is a serious blow to us. Though it makes is even less likely that Raito-kun is Kira." So the '-kun' is back now?

"What do you mean, Ryuzaki?!" Yagami doesn't miss much.

"If Raito-kun was Kira, then I think he would have the second Kira threaten me to appear on T.V. again, instead of sending a message like this... if we don't know if they're working together, then we'd just assume it was only the second Kira's doing. The second Kira could just say 'I cancelled this the first time because Kira told me to. But now I no longer think that the warning came from Kira himself' or something like that." L stated.

I hadn't thought about Misa doing that T.V. thing again.

"Ryuzaki..."

"Yes?"

"I wouldn't do that if I were Kira."

"Why not?"

I'm wondering that too...

"If you're L, then I know L's personality."

L said nothing.

"No matter the threat, there's no way L would appear on T.V. and there's no way he's let someone else take his place. You would definitely think of a way out of it." Raito stated.

"_Heh_, can't get anything by you..." L admitted.

But he was lying. L would go on T.V. or someone would go for him and they would die, but either way, L would have to go underground again and Raito wouldn't be allowed any more investigation details, because L wouldn't trust him.

"Raito..." Yagami cut in. "Even if you're just making a point, stop saying things like 'if I were Kira...' even though I know you're not Kira, it doesn't sit very well with me."

"Yeah... sorry, Dad." Raito looked annoyed. "But I want to be honest with Ryuzaki..." Ha! "... in order to solve this case as soon as possible and to clear my name. I only say things like that because I'm not Kira... you're worrying too much, Dad."

"Well, you're right but..."

"Yes... Raito-kun isn't Kira... or rather, I don't want Raito-kun to be Kira. Because... Raito-kun is my first ever friend."

Was that... a lie too...?

"Yeah... you're a good friend to me too, Ryuzaki..."

"Thanks."

"I miss you at school. I'd like to play tennis with you again."

"Yes. Same here... Kira and the second Kira... once we solve this case and rid the world of them, I'd enjoy that. I hope that day comes soon. But right now I'm afraid to go outside or even show my face to anyone. It may be wise to go back into hiding again..." L mumbled.

"Well, I'll be heading home now." Raito stated.

"Take care."

______________________________________________________________________________

**Author's Note: **Yay! This isn't late at all! Thanks for reading and thanks for the reviews!


	32. Chapter 32

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Death Note.

**Credit: **Original idea by Yami Yugi Alexander the 4th.

**Chapter 32**

**Cross**

I followed Raito out.

He was leaving for the night but I wanted to talk to him, so I pretended to go back to my room and ran to the front door so I wouldn't have to open and close it again.

When I was through the door, Raito ignored me while he walked away, either he knew what I was doing or he was in a hurry to get home.

But he was walking pretty slowly so the better guess was that he knew what I was doing.

I followed him at a distance until we were out of the hotel and across the street, it wasn't like I was try to sneak after him and he knew I was there but we didn't talk until we were away from L's cameras.

Raito left the hotel at about the same time every night and took the subway home, normally I wouldn't have cared what he did between leaving the task force and reaching his family but for the last few days I'd been checking all the cameras that L could use to watch him on his way out.

L's surveillance ended at the front door of the hotel, and after that the only cameras he could use were subway cameras and those didn't have sound, so if we used a blind spot he wouldn't be able to figure out what we were saying.

"So you can see Ryuk." Raito said to me, without turning around. But he had stopped walking.

We were on a deserted street halfway to the station.

"He told you?"

That's favoritism!

"No, but he laughs at me every time you're close by."

Dang, idiocy. And my answer confirmed his guess.

"So how can you see him?" he wasn't to know if I've touched his notebook.

What do I tell him? 'I'm from the future and I own your notebook?' probably not that best idea.

"I'm not going to tell you that."

Ryuk started to laugh like a maniac.

"Fine. You have the eyes?"

"Yes."

"So when did you have tome to make the trade?"

"I'm not telling you. But I didn't trade anything." I'm bragging, I admit it.

Then he turned around, the blank mask I always saw him wearing had changed into a look of innocent curiosity.

"How did you get the eyes for free?" He asked, almost like he didn't really care.

"I was born with them." I think.

"I didn't know that was possible."

"Neither did I, but I can't think of another explanation." True. I'm not sure how I got the eyes for free, but saying I was born with them is a good excuse for not telling him that.

"So what's your connection to L? If you were on his side you would have told him about Ryuk by now." He turned his whole body to face me, obviously this conversation was now worth his time.

If I tell him I'm L's daughter, and he finds out my last name, he'll be able to make the name connection and that would make it easier for him to kill L. I wasn't here the first time around so I don't know how Raito knowing about me will change L's future...

"I'm just a friend of his, and just because I haven't told him about you and the notebook doesn't mean that I'm not on his side. I just don't want to interrupt the investigation."

"You sound like you know how the case will end."

"What makes you think that?"

"If you weren't sure about how things were going to end up but you were on L's side, you would have at least given him a hint by now, there's a chance that I'll kill L the way things are working out." He smirked.

"You know I won't tell him. If you weren't sure you wouldn't be telling me that you could kill him."

"True, if you haven't said anything yet, you probably won't mention the notebook."

"What about Misa? She's the second Kira, right?" I shouldn't have mentioned that I knew, but I needed to confirm it and I _really_ wanted to prove that he didn't have the upper hand!

He hesitated, obviously he hadn't expected me to know about Misa.

"You saw her at Aoyama." He decided, it was the most obvious guess... and the right answer.

"Yeah. She didn't have a life span and since you're the only other person I've seen who doesn't, I assumed it had something to do with the notebook." I'm bragging again. I'd figured out that life spans disappear because of death notes all by myself.

"So what do you plan to do, as one of L's subordinates, now that you know about Misa?"

"I'm not his 'subordinate' I'm his friend, and I'm not going to do anything until you actually pose a threat." I sniffed.

"You can't be L's friend." He smirked.

"Why's that?"

"Because he said I was his only friend." Now the smirk was a twisted smile, but not because he was jealous or anything like that... because he'd caught my lie.

"Fine, I'm not his friend. But I don't work for him." I looked away, trying to preserve my dignity.

"So how are you connected to him if you're not his friend and you're not his pawn?"

I want to punch him.

"I'm not going to tell you." I frowned. "But I'm _not _a tool."

"Fine. I believe you." he was smirking again.

We stared each other down for a while before a screeching voice broke the tension.

"_RAITO!_" the voice was female, and so high pitched it sounded like I'd expect a dog whistle to sound.

Misa.

She came running at full speed down the ally we were in and crashed into Raito like she was trying to take a bullet for him.

"Who's she?!" Misa pointed at me from her place on top of Raito.

I didn't move a muscle...

"Misa, this is Destiny, she's a friend of L's." He answered, He obviously didn't like her but he seemed so happy about the position this meeting put me in that he didn't bother to throw her off him as he got up.

She has a notebook too... and because she can only be the second Kira, she know's my name.

"A friend of L's?" Her eyes widened like the words he'd said were too much for her to register a once.

Raito obviously did care if I told or not, but there's a good chance that he was going to kill me now, or at least write my name down to die after a little while.

I tried not to seem to scared of him, but I was starting to feel sick...

"Y–you're Misa–Misa?" I tried to ask, conversationally."

"Yep!" She's enthusiastic...

"Nice to meet you." I discretely re–swallowed my lunch...

"Misa, is sorry she was mean to you, she thought her Raito was cheating on her!" She speaks in third person, she's obviously stupid and she wasn't that mean at first! There's no way I'm dying because of her and– wait!

Her Raito?

I couldn't help it, I started laughing. Raito– cold, heartless, genius murderer Raito– was dating this girl? She was wearing a gothic style dress and too much make–up, _and_ she seems like a total idiot!

Raito frowned at me but I couldn't stop laughing.

"What's so funny?" Misa–Misa asked, happy to see she was so entertaining.

"Nothing... I've gotta go...!" I gasped, before turning on my heals and running back to the hotel.

By the time I'd made it back, I'd thrown up in a back ally.

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**Author's Note: **Ha! I'm on time again! Thanks for reading and thanks for the reviews!


	33. Chapter 33

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Death Note.

**Credit: **Original idea by Yami Yugi Alexander the 4th.

**Chapter 33**

**Whiplash**

Raito was on the task force, he was working closely with L to catch himself.

Everything was working out just as Raito had wanted it to, but then Misa had come along.

The girl was impulsive and stupid, she was no help at all to Raito and if it hadn't been for Rem, he would have killed her by now. But now, Misa wasn't his main problem anymore.

Destiny, he didn't know her last name but that was just more proof for his theory, she was young, probably less then fifteen and the obvious resemblance made it almost pointless for her to pretend she wasn't a member of L's family. She had to be.

She had the same pride and courage but not as refined as L's, she was the right age to be his younger sister and she wanted to help him but wouldn't give him the one clue he needed to solve the case.

But even more then that, she had the eyes of a shinigami. She hadn't payed for them, that's what she'd said at least, and she could see Ryuk, something was obviously off, though, because as devoted as she seemed to be to L, she seemed just as determined to sit back and watch the case from the sidelines, like Ryuk.

Then Raito's two problems had met up, and he'd known it was checkmate, Misa had Destiny's name and through that she had L's name, or at least his last name.

Of course he'd asked Misa for her name as soon as she'd left– looking a bit queasy– and he'd learned by the time they'd gotten back to his house that she was really _Opal Destiny Lawliet_.

But Misa hadn't seen her life span, that meant that she owned a notebook.

Either way, it didn't matter, with her name, Raito could kill her and L any time he wanted, all he had to do was control her to make her give him L's name.

_Opal Destiny Lawliet_

_Suicide_

_May 19__th__ 2004 12:00 A.M._

_Reveals the name of her closest relative to his enemy, in secret on April 28th, then assures that relative of his enemy's innocence over the next few days before leaping to her death from the window of her hotel room at midnight on May 19__th__._

That way Raito could get L's name and kill Destiny, all he had to do to cover his involvement was kill L before May 19th, that way she would look like any other depressed relative after the death of a loved one.

Opal was going to die, two days after L, the way they were related didn't matter, with her eyes, she would know his name no matter what it was.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

"I can't believe you spent all night puking, Destiny, that's disgusting." Mello teased.

"I don't need this right now." I mumbled, I'm going to die, there's no way Raito would leave me alive after last night.

And with the death note he can kill me however he wanted to... I hope it's not painful... or can you even feel pain when you're under the death note's control?

I'm gonna be sick...

L had noticed me coming back, but there was no way around it. He hadn't fully excepted my 'I went for a walk' excuse, but I had almost puked on his feet and he'd quickly forgotten about it in favor of getting me some milk to calm my stomach.

Mello had stayed with me all night, he had fallen asleep draped over my back at one point and woke with a start when I started gagging at around two.

He'd given up on trying to tease me back to health, and now he was rubbing circles in my back, trying to calm me down.

"Destiny, what did you do? You can tell me, I promise... if you don't want L to know I won't say a word..." He coaxed.

I shook my head from my fetal position on the bed.

"Des, please, maybe it'll help me figure out what to do..."

"N–no... I'm fine..."

"Destiny, you've been awake all night, chucking up meals I don't remember having... you're not fine." Mello, insisted in a firm tone.

"Please, Mells, just go for a while, I'm fine." I pushed, I needed some time alone to cry, I'm not going to do that in front of Mello... my boyfriend... _who I'm leaving behind when I die_...

"Destiny... please, don't kick me out, I can help, I know I can..."

"No... go sit in on the meeting for me..." I stuttered through the excuse.

"... Alright, but drink some more water while I'm gone... I'll be back later to fill you in..." He obviously didn't want to leave, and as great as the thoughtfulness of that made me feel, he couldn't stay.

Mello got up and left the room, I heard the door close behind him and instantly began to sob... I'd been ready to die when I'd written my name down in the future, but I wasn't ready now that I had less then twenty–three days to live...

I sobbed as quietly as possible into my pillow, my stomach hadn't completely settled yet but it was too empty for me to puke again.

The door opened quietly behind me and I tried to stop the tears before Mello could see me.

"Mells, go away." I tried to keep the trembling out of my voice.

Mello didn't answer, but if I turned around he would see how red my eyes were and guess what I was doing.

"Mello... leave..." I tried one more time, but there was a weight on the bed behind me that announced his continued presence... but Mello wasn't that heavy.

"Dad..." I mumbled.

"Mello and the task force are going over some data from a few weeks ago. I assume a regular parent would take a day off to care for a sick child?" He was asking, out of real curiosity, he didn't know the answer.

"You're not a regular parent... your job is more important then a regular parent."

"But not more important then you are. Although I can't say I'll be much help, I've never been sick like that before..." he's uncertain about what to do...

"Dad... thanks for trying but..."

"You're not allowed to be alone for the next twenty–four hours. I've heard of a stomach virus that only lasts one day and I'm going to assume that's what you have."

"Dad–"

"Unless you have some other problem?"

"No, it must be the stomach–thing..." I decided, I couldn't tell him that I was going to die soon.

"Alright, so what should I do to help?" He asked, I could hear the slight smugness in his voice, but it wasn't teasing or even arrogant, he was just pleased with himself for being able to help me.

I considered telling him to leave, I could have said I just needed rest but... how much more time would I have to spend with him?

I uncurled from my little ball and crawled into his lap, then I snuggled back into the fetal position. He made it easier for me by sitting on his knees instead of in his normal position.

He ran his fingers through my hair and made an attempt at rocking back and forth like I was a baby that needed a nap, but the attempt failed, and he stopped moving to avoid upsetting my stomach with more jerky motions.

"I didn't like you when we met... I though you were a jerk..." I told him, might as well make my peace.

"I thought you were interesting. You were so young that I had trouble believing you could be at the level you were."

"Do you still question it now?" I asked.

"No, you're my daughter, and I'd expect nothing less from you."

"Thanks, Dad." I whispered as I drifted off to sleep for the first time since my meeting with Raito... I would have been happy to die at that moment.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

Destiny didn't approach Raito, she didn't even attend the meeting, and L left almost as soon as it stared, giving the task force some old data to read through, probably to distract them.

The rest of the day passed and she didn't tell him L's name in secret like he'd written, by the end of the day he had to know the reason for it. If she'd told another relative's name to another enemy he would have problems.

"Ryuk." He stopped walking right outside his house, the shinigami right behind him.

"Yeah?" Ryuk laughed, he knew something.

"Where did Destiny come from?"

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**Author's Note: **Ok, I'm late tonight. Thanks for reading and thanks for the reviews!


	34. Chapter 34

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Death Note.

**Credit: **Original idea by Yami Yugi Alexander the 4th.

**Chapter 34**

**Scale**

"Hair." L stated, he was examining the contents of all the evidence bags gathered from Misa's house.

The task force members were looking through the evidence too, but they were doing it silently. Chances are, L was only announcing his findings because he wanted to hide the fact that he wasn't really thinking about the evidence.

"Snack crumbs." no one else saw it, but I could tell that he was deep in thought about something else.

He picked up another small bag. I wasn't looking through the evidence, I knew Misa was guilty and I still wasn't feeling well after my nerve induced sickness.

"Yagami-san. If I die in the ext few days, your son is Kira." L stated. "More hair." He announced, not seeming to care much about the accusation he'd just made.

"Huh?!" Yagami nearly shouted. "What are you saying all of the sudden, Ryuzaki?"

"If I die, I'm counting on you to keep things together. You can use Watari as you wish. If I die, the only one who will be able to get anything from Kira, meaning Raito-kun, will be you." L was so calm about his possible death... I wish I had that much self control.

"Ryuzaki... when my son is here you state that He's mostly been cleared... just how deeply do you suspect him?! Give it to me straight!" Yagami insisted, startling the other task force members with his anger.

"Even I... don't know how I truly feel... this has never happened before... if Kira and the second Kira are now working together... I'm in big trouble. So it may be possible that I'm no longer able to think things through calmly. It's a fact that my suspicion of your son is logically a very low percentage, and I may be being insistent because there's just no other suspect... even so... if I'm killed now, then assume that your son is Kira. I will have Watari do the same."

He's telling Yagami that he's going to tell Watari so that he doesn't just clear his son as soon as L's gone. It's annoying to have to plan against your own team, but Yagami is so sure that Raito is innocent he's willing to ignore the fact that he's guilty.

I wonder if L would do the same thing if I were Kira... probably not.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

"He's coming." I whispered, I was trying to focus on the manga I was reading instead of Raito and his– like fifth– girlfriend as they got closer and closer to where we were sitting.

"Has he seen us yet?" L asked, he wasn't having any trouble at all reading his book, but he wasn't as sure as I was that Raito wanted to kill him.

"No, not yet."

"Then ignore him until he does, we're only here to watch his reaction to Amane's arrest."

"This make's me really nervous." I admitted.

"Why's that?" He glanced at me as he turned the page.

"We're arresting Misa because she's the second Kira... doesn't that make you nervous?"

"Not really, we won't be with Amane during the arrest, we'll be with Raito-kun, so we won't be in any danger." He sighed, turning the page again.

"Seriously? You're not worried at all about...?" He wasn't looking at me, he was watching something behind me... and I'll bet I know what it is.

"Oh, Yagami-kun. Hello." L blurted, I was right.

"Takada, I'd like to talk to him in private for a moment. Can I see you later?" Raito sounded so polite, but I could tell, and I'm sure L could tell too, that he was worried about what we were doing here.

"Huh? Oh... sure." She walked off, obviously upset about being ditched for L and me.

"You sure that was okay?" L asked, he didn't really care.

"Never mind her. Are you sure you should be out here? I thought you were worried about being seen." Raito masked his annoyance perfectly.

"I realized it would be fine as long as you're not Kira... since you're the only one on the outside who knows I'm L. And so, if I'm killed during the next few days... I've told Yagami-san, the task force members, and the other L's that 'Raito Yagami is Kira'!" L announced more then said, he was making it sound really dramatic for one reason or another.

I didn't say anything, and before Raito could say anything, L started talking again.

"Oh? I didn't tell you? I'm not the only one who calls himself L. Let's just say that L is a whole group of investigators." was he gloating?

Raito still didn't respond, there wasn't really much he could say to that.

"You were saying how you missed me at school, so I thought this would be a good change of pace... collage is fun as long as you don't die." was that a joke?

"Yeah, it's boring without you, nobody on my level."

"And thus the brilliant Takada-san?"

"Something like that."

Takada Kiyomi wasn't someone I would think of as 'brilliant', she seemed more along the lines of 'spoiled.'

"Shall we get some cake form the cafeteria?" L asked, standing up and starting towards the cake before anyone could answer.

Not like I'd refuse anyway, I love cake.

"Raito!! There you are!!" that same squeaky voice from the ally shouted, the pitch of her voice could break glass.

For the first time that day Raito seemed shocked and nervous, Misa wasn't supposed to be here, but that caused problems for Me and L too.

"I have a shoot near here, so I came by! Though I have to be back before 2 o'clock. So anyone can just walk onto this campus..." Misa was there in all her gothic glory, and I couldn't think of a good excuse to get out of there before she saw me.

"One of your friends, Raito? He's really unique and cool! I'm Raito's girlfriend, Misa Amane. Nice to meet you." Misa greeted L without a second thought, she knew his name but maybe she wasn't smart enough to compare it to mine.

"I'm Hideki Ryuga." L told her, did he know how much trouble he was in?

He turned to look at me, and I realized that I should introduce my self too, but I wasn't sure what to say, it's not like I could say I was Misa Amane anymore, obviously he got tired of waiting for me to figure it out.

"This is–"

"Misa Ryuga." I cut him off, I couldn't be Misa Amane and it would be stupid to try and come up with a whole new name so I'd decided to take his last name, she'd known we were related anyway.

Of course she hadn't noticed me before so the moment she saw me realization hit her like a falling boulder, I shouldn't have come with him to school today.

"Yagami-kun..." Raito froze at the look on L's face, he was smiling like a maniac and that worried me too...

Raito obviously assumed that L had figured out who Misa was, which he had but he wasn't really going to admit that yet, the shock on his face was enough to make me laugh, Raito was never shocked and right then he almost looked afraid.

"I'm so jealous." L stated. "I've been a huge fan since the March issue of 'Eighteen'!"

"Really?! I'm so happy!" Misa squeaked, she didn't suspect a thing.

But wait... L had a crush on Misa? No NO **NO**! I'm only thirteen and I'm already taller the her! Plus she's a total Kira–worshiping Idiot! There's no way I'll approve of this! I won't allow it! He has to be lying... does he really read teen magazines? I'm afraid to ask...

"Hey, isn't that Misa–Misa?" I heard a student ask her friend.

"Who's Misa–Misa?" Her friend asked back.

"You're right, it is her." a third girl joined in.

"She's so cute." the first commented.

"So who's Misa–Misa? A celebrity?" the second girl asked again.

"She's a model."

"Oh, why's a model here at To–Oh?"

"Wow, she's so small and cute!"

"Wow, I'm getting so popular." Misa celebrated.

"This is bad..." Raito commented.

"Hey! Who just touched my butt?!" Misa shrieked, L pulled is hand into his back pocket. Seriously?

"How imprudent! That's unforgivable. I shall catch the culprit!" L stated.

I laughed, he looked cute, covering his weird attempt at groping her.

But I don't approve.

"Ha ha, you're funny." Misa accepted his joke.

"Can I touch it too...?" one boy in the crowed asked.

"You idiot..." another boy teased.

"Misa, we need to go to the studio now! Do you want to be late again?!" A woman pushed through the crowed and grabbed Misa by the wrist.

"Oh, sorry, Yoshi..." Misa squeaked before following her away.

"A lady manager?"

"Cool!"

I didn't miss the look in Raito's eyes as she was pulled away, he was relieved that L hadn't caught her and now he was going to get his name for free.

"Later, Raito! See you after work?" Misa shouted back to him.

"Huh? She's with Raito...?"

"What about Takada?"

"Well then, I'll be heading to class now. We have Psychology together, right?" L asked Raito.

"Yeah, I'll see you there after I go to the bathroom." Raito answered, he was only using the bathroom as an excuse to get away from L and me, because L wouldn't want to go with him and I couldn't go into the boy's bathroom...

L started walking away, probably towards Psychology, I didn't want to leave Raito with the privacy he needed to call Misa but I couldn't leave L either, so I reluctantly tagged along after my dad.

______________________________________________________________________________

**Author's Note: **I think this is a cliff hanger, but it's late. My excuse for Thursday is that I had four assignments due the next day and four hours to do them. My excuse for Friday is that I came home after school, baked a cake and went to a party– I really had to go– and I didn't get back until the next day. Both chapters will be made up, I promise. Thanks for reading and thanks for the reviews!


	35. Chapter 35

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Death Note.

**Credit: **Original idea by Yami Yugi Alexander the 4th.

**Chapter 35**

**Tip**

We hadn't gotten more then ten feet away when L's phone rang... but I was too distracted by his weird ring tone to notice the proximity. I looked at him, expecting to see him pulling out his phone so I could criticize his choice in music but it wasn't his phone.

_He stole Misa's cell phone?_

He glanced at the caller ID and smiled broadly, before he opened the phone and answered.

"Yes?" He spoke, not sounding at all like the smiling Dad I'd seen a minute ago, he was probably trying to keep the laughter out of his tone.

There was no answer from the other end and I realized why, I looked back at Raito holding his phone...

"Hello?" L asked again.

"Ryuga..." Raito frowned. "That's not funny."

"Oh, looks like someone dropped this cell phone in the crowed earlier." L lied, had he swiped it out of her bag and hidden it by groping her?

That's smart...

"Hello?" L asked again, Raito wasn't responding.

"Yeah, that's Misa's phone, so I'll return it to her." Raito stated.

"Oh, sure." L agreed before handing the phone back to Raito.

They'd looked a bit silly talking over the phone while standing five feet apart.

Raito glared at L from behind until a second phone ringing distracted him, it was a generic ring tone this time so it could only be L's.

"Oh, now it's my phone." L commented as he picked it up. "Yes... Yes... So you did it. Yes, understood."

Raito just watched him, but he was probably nervous.

"I believe this will be... a case of good news and bad news for you, Yagami-kun, but... Misa Amane has been apprehended on suspicion of being the second Kira." L stated.

There was actual shock in Raito's expression, but he shouldn't have been so surprised that his stupid 'girlfriend' had gotten caught.

"An examination of Amane's room produced cat hair, cosmetic products, and clothing fibers similar to those found in the adhesive of the envelopes the second Kira used to mail the tapes, along with other evidence. The arrest of a suspected second Kira would cause a worldwide frenzy, so we will keep it secret for now. But we have arrested her. We've also taken in her manager on a drug possession charge, but that will be kept secret too."

He's partly lying, he's keeping it a secret because if she dies now Raito will be Kira for sure because he's the only one on the outside who knows about her arrest... and because panic is bad.

"Are you alright, Yagami-kun? Suddenly hearing about your girlfriend being apprehended as the second Kira... I can understand the emotions you must be going through..." L sounded sincere but there's no way he's ever had a girlfriend get arrested before... in fact, if I hadn't been around I wouldn't have thought he'd had a girlfriend at all...

- - - - - - - - - - - -

Raito had held himself together pretty well after the initial reactions, I guess he was so worried that no emotions could reach his face, like he was in shock or something... or at least that's what I hope because the other option is that he's fine with what's happening and calmly thinking up a plan.

L and I got back to the hotel after he'd spent a few hours in classes, I'd had to wait outside but there wasn't much that could happen in that room that I'd be upset about missing.

The task force members were sorting evidence on a table when we got in and even when Aizawa tried to tell L about their progress, he'd ignored them, intent on the laptop on the other side of the room.

"Watari, has she said anything?" He asked.

"_No_." Watari replied through the screen. "_Sorry, but nothing yet. She hasn't even complained about being restrained_."

"Alright, send the images this way." L requested.

"_Are you sure_?" Why would he have to ask that?

"Just do it."

Without another word, the screen changed to a picture of Misa blindfolded and strapped down.

"Whoa!" the task force seemed instantly upset, but I was just disturbed.

"Ryuzaki... this is..." Yagami stared to say but L cut him off.

"She's been captured as the second Kira. What do you expect? If we had no evidence it would be one thing." that's all he had to say to them, it's true that they had tons of evidence against her.

"It's true... the fingerprints don't match and it seems like the video equipment was disposed of, but we found the same type of paper as the diary, an express delivery stamp, the ink and components all match. The pollen found in the adhesive of the envelope sent from Osaka matched the flowers growing around the apartment she lived at until April and is rare in the Kanto region..." Aizawa announced.

"And a ticket stub from the Tokyo–Nagano train from the day of when a tape was sent from Nagano. The security tapes should still exist from that day, I bet we'll find her if we view them. Kira didn't leave any evidence like that." Matsuda joined in.

"Yea, with all this physical evidence it seems pretty certain..." Yagami decided.

"There's no mistake." L stated, firmly. "Now it's just... how did she kill? And does she know Kira? Who is Kira? We'll have to make her confess." He decided. "Watari, take precautions, but do whatever you need to. Just make her talk."

"_Yes_."

Did he mean torture? That's illegal...

"And... Yagami-san..." L stopped my thoughts cold "Right now, I have forbidden Raito-kun from coming in and out of here. But... the next time... I believe he will be called in as a prime suspect. Please be prepared for that."

Yagami seemed angry and frightened at the same moment, it was like he couldn't decide, and he didn't answer.

"Amane moved to Tokyo in April and soon became close with Raito-kun. Her parents were killed by a burglar and Kira killed the burglar. And Raito-kun possessed a cell phone just to call her with. Not that that's rare among lovers, but I doubt that a prideful guy like Raito-kun would accept such a thing. The only thing in his favor is that I would think Raito-kun, if Kira, would kill Amane to keep her from talking. But she's still alive. Though I would assume he knows that if he killed her while this few people know about her arrest, then it would only deepen suspicion against him." L commented.

I'd called it.

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**Author's Note: **This chapter is short but I have practice and I don't want any more days that I'll need to make up later. Thanks for reading and thanks for the reviews!


	36. Chapter 36

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Death Note.

**Credit: **Original idea by Yami Yugi Alexander the 4th.

**Chapter 36**

**Speak**

It had been three days since Misa was confined. The task force members had given up protesting but something about it still bothered me.

Maybe it was the torture, L hadn't asked to be send the video or audio of the interrogation, because that's that they called it, 'interrogation' is a fancy word for torture that's accepted because the interrogator is asking a question or two.

But I don't think the torture was really the problem for me.

It was bad, of course, but I think the real reason was that Misa was stupid, she wasn't devious or evil or trying to take over the world, she wasn't even the root of the problem. What bothered me was that she was being tortured in Raito's place because she's too stupid to see that he doesn't care about her.

Misa was twenty, so she wasn't a child anymore but she looked like she was my age, she was almost shorter then me, and the fact that she looked like a little girl being tortured really bothered me.

The task force was exhausted after three days of sitting in the main room, waiting for Misa to talk about Kira. She hadn't said anything and the frustration showed on everyone's faces.

Matsuda, Aizawa and Yagami were lying on different chairs around the room, trying to get some sleep while they waited, L was sitting in the chair closest to the coffee table, completely awake and drinking tea with tons of sugar.

"_Ryuzaki_." Watari called through the computer, L was instantly alert and listening "_Amane is speaking_."

"What?!" He actually sounded surprised. "Visuals and audio now!" L had leapt across the room to the laptop, leaning in to hear the words that Misa was barely mumbling.

Yagami was the first up behind him, he had to put his glasses back on before he could watch because he'd left them on the table during his nap.

"_I... can't take it anymore_." Misa mumbled, I couldn't see her eyes, because of the blindfold, but I could tell that she'd have deep bags under them like L always did. "Kill me!" She ordered.

There was general shock expressed in the room, even from L, he probably hadn't expected her to beg for death.

"_Kill me. Hurry up and kill me._"

Did she really expect L to just kill her? Or was she talking to someone else? If every notebook has a shinigami then she could be talking to her's and no one else would be able to see it.

"You said she hasn't had water in three days, right...?" Aizawa asked.

"That's too much for a twenty-year old girl... she must be at her limit..." Matsuda added.

L pressed the button on his computer microphone and addressed Misa directly.

"Misa Amane, can you hear me?" He asked, his voice was probably scrambled on her end, it must be terrifying.

"_Yes_... _please_... _kill me now_..."

"Does this mean that in the face of overwhelming evidence, you are acknowledging that you are the second Kira and giving up?" L asked, he seemed excited about this new breakthrough.

"_No, I don't know anything about that_..." She murmured "_I can't take this... I'd rather be dead_..."

She could really die if she keeps asking for it like that... if all shinigami are like Ryuk then it'll laugh at her then kill her, or not kill her so it can stick around and watch her suffer...

"_Now! Hurry! Kill me! You can do it immediately, right?!_" She shouted, straining against the straps.

She's really asking to die, she expects to die... compared to that, my fear induced nausea looks way more pathetic then before.

"_Yes, kill_ _me_."

Misa's way braver then I'd thought... I'd seen death all my life and I was still afraid to die... maybe that's how Shinigami feel...

"_Yes... kill me..."_

L and the others watched her with interest, but no one responded, did they even notice that she wasn't talking to them?

"_I can't take it... kill me._"

She really looked desperate... maybe no one expected her to be sane after three days of torture... maybe talking to herself and begging for death was a normal thing at this point.

"_I was supposed to die that day anyway_..." She whispered, What was the Shinigami say to her?

"She must mean when the burglar killed her parents..." Aizawa guessed.

"Poor girl, I feel sorry for her..." Matsuda seemed really upset about her situation.

L just watched silently.

"_I would die happy now... while I'm still young and pretty... kill me..._"

I hadn't thought much about getting old... but I'm going to die you anyway, in fact I won't be much older then Misa is now, but now that she's mentioned it, I wouldn't want to get old, I would feel useless if I couldn't blend in with crowds or yell at Mello over eating all the chocolate cake... being old must be terrible...

"_I don't care, just kill me!!_" She shrieked.

What had the shinigami said? Had it said no?

"_If you won't kill me, then._.." She opened her mouth, but L caughther fast enough.

"Watari, make sure she can't bite her tongue off."

"_Yes_." Watari gagged her from behind with a piece of cloth, she couldn't close her mouth so she couldn't bite her tongue.

"Could these already be the actions before death, controlled by Kira...?" L asked, no one in particular.

It could have been Raito controlling her but if that had been her set time of death and Watari had stopped her from committing suicide, then she would have died of a heart attack...

She had really wanted to die, and she had asked her shinigami to kill her... I'm positive.

None of the task force members said anything.

Watari continued to hold her mouth open with the cloth, and L continued to watch.

Suddenly Misa shook her head, like she was saying no to something, was her shinigami still talking to her? Maybe it wasn't like Ryuk...

No one spoke.

A few seconds later she nodded and did her best to smile through the gag.

A single tear slid down her cheek before she lost consciousness.

That got a reaction out of the task force members, they surged forward when her body slumped over and began to speak all at once.

"Watari, is she dead?" L asked, He seemed excited, worried and a little upset all at once.

"_No, she's only passed out._" Watari responded.

"Thank goodness..." I heard Matsuda mutter from behind me.

Aizawa snapped at him for it, but I was relived too, Misa was stupid, and that wasn't a good enough reason to die.

Would Raito come to save her?

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**Author's Note: **This one's short too, but I had homework again, I'm proud that I'm even able to update during school this year. Thanks for reading and thanks for the reviews!


	37. Chapter 37

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Death Note.

**Credit: **Original idea by Yami Yugi Alexander the 4th.

**Chapter 37**

**Crime**

"_Mr. Stalker, please stop this. This is a crime. If you let me go, I won't tell anyone_." Misa'd been trying to talk her way out of confinement since she'd woken up, she obviously didn't remember the death note or Kira and because she was a celebrity she assumed that L was a stalker who'd taken her hostage or something.

Not like that opinion was far off, all he did all day was stare at her...

"_Mr. Stalker!_"

"After regaining consciousness, she keeps repeating that..." Aizawa stated.

"Does she really think we're going to buy this act?" Matsuda sniffed.

Yagami was ignoring the whole conversation, he'd been upset since L had confirmed how much he suspected his son.

"_Okay, then how about taking off the blindfold. I'd really like to see you_." She bargained, but because L knew she had my eyes, that probably only made her situation worse.

"Matsuda-san, call Mogi-san." L requested, holding out his hand for the phone.

"Huh? Oh... sure..." Matsuda seemed upset, maybe it was because he felt a bit guilty over Misa's torture, or maybe it was because he was upset about being designated as 'phone–monkey.'

"When you apprehended Misa Amane, you did tell her she was suspected as the second Kira?" L confirmed into the phone, not waiting for a greeting.

Mogi responded but I couldn't hear him.

"_I'll give you an autograph and shake your hand. Oh, I'll give you a kiss on the cheek. Come on, I won't run away._"

L wordlessly pressed the microphone button and addressed her, was he going to take her offer?!

"Misa Amane." He began.

"_What, Mr. Stalker? You're going to let me go?_" She sounded hopeful.

"Before you went to sleep, you were almost completely silent before asking us to kill you. Yet now you're playing coy?" L challenged her.

"_What are you talking about? You're the stalker who knocked me out and brought me here. What...? you want to play some kind of examination game...?_" now she sounds nervous.

"Why are you tied up there right now?" L asked, he seemed to have realized that she didn't remember anything.

"_Huh? Why...? maybe because I'm an idol? I've never heard of a stalker going this far though._" She really didn't know...

Matsuda didn't believe her though, he grabbed the microphone from L and shouted at her.

"Hey, Amane!!! stop messing around!!"

Now she was terrified.

"_I... I'm scared... please stop this... let me go! Let me go..._"

"Matsuda she doesn't know what's going on!" I shouted at him "Stop freaking her out!"

"Do you know something about this?" L asked before Matsuda could respond.

"No." I replied before thinking "It's just obvious that she doesn't know what's happening... that's all."

"_Oh yeah... the bathroom... I need to go..._"

"What makes you think she doesn't know what's happening to her?" L asked me "She was fully aware before she passed out."

"Maybe shock–induced amnesia? She was under a lot of stress..." it's possible.

"It's only been four minutes since you last went to the bathroom. Please hold it in." L ordered her, before looking back at me.

"_But that's the only time you untie me! Let me go! You get to see me pee again, isn't that what you want?! You pervert!!_" she shrieked at him, she was sobbing between her words.

"So what do you suggest we do?" L turned back to me "We have physical evidence against her, we can't just let her go..." He didn't seem bothered at all by her tears, but I could tell that he was guilty deep down.

"Couldn't we at least lighten up on her? She's not some genius who could escape if she's given a little freedom." I tried to sound as detached as him but it didn't quite work.

"She's the most likely suspect for the second Kira, a killer who can kill with just the face of a victim, we can't give her any chances to escape." as if I needed reminding.

"Dad, this is horrible... do you really not care about her at all?" it's not like I'd approve of a relationship between L and Misa but she was a human being and I had trouble watching him hurt her like that...

"She's, quite possibly, a murderer, if you can prove her innocence I'll release her but until then she needs to be kept under constant watch."

I can't prove her innocence...

Just then L's phone rang.

"It's from Raito-kun. Turn off the visuals and audio." He stated before answering.

"_Yes._" Watari cut the video and the screen went black.

"...Yes...yes...yes...yes..." Yagami looked confused, but I wasn't much better off, since when did Raito have L's number? "I understand. We're in K, room 2801."

"My son's coming?" Yagami asked.

"Yes." L answered.

It only took twenty minutes for Raito to get to the hotel.

He had barely gotten through the door when he'd started talking.

"Ryuzaki... as I said on the phone..."

"Yes..." L agreed to the comment that hadn't been made yet, Yagami looked as confused as I felt, but I was also worried about my dad.

"I might be Kira." Raito admitted.

Yagami immediately freaked out.

"It can't be!! What are you saying, Raito?! Have you lost it?!! please snap out of it, Raito!! What's going on? Answer me!" Yagami bombarded him with questions but he didn't say a word, I would have believed that he'd given up the notebook and honestly wasn't sure but I still couldn't see his life span and the look on his face was more annoyed then anything else.

He was bothered by his dad's insistence that he was innocent, which meant he had a plan.

"Dad... if Ryuzaki is L, then he's unquestionably the best detective in the world. If L has decided that I'm Kira then I probably am." Raito finally spoke.

"Wh... what are you saying, Raito?!" yeah, I agree, there's no way Raito has that much faith in L, he's just using that as an excuse.

L probably didn't believe him either, but Yagami didn't catch that and turned to L for an explanation.

"Yes, it's true... in my mind, Raito-kun is most definitely Kira. And thus I'll probably be questioning him soon. Raito-kun has extremely sharp insight and understands my way of thinking."

Yep, so he probably understands that you don't believe his act even a little.

"The people that FBI agent Raye Penber was investigating before he died... people who went to Aoyama on May 22nd... and the person that second Kira suspect Misa approached after coming to Tokyo... it all points to me. If I was in L's position, I would conclude that I'm Kira too. This means... that while I have no consciousness of it, I might be Kira..." Raito's little speech wasn't as impressive once you realized that he was lying through his teeth about his innocence.

"Raito..." Yagami still didn't see the trick... although not even L had identified it yet.

"This 'shinigami' word left by the criminal who was controlled by Kira... the same word appeared in the second Kira's message, too. I don't believe in shinigami, but thinking about that and then having the world's best detective say that I'm Kira... I'm starting to not even understand myself... I'm afraid... what if I'm losing my mind?" you'd think you'd notice. "I may not be conscious of it, but maybe when I'm asleep another version of me comes out and does the killings..."

"That did not happen." L stated.

"What do you mean, Ryuzaki?" Raito actually seemed worried about his answer.

"There was actually about five days when we had cameras installed in your room." L answered, watching his reaction from the corner of his eye.

"Cameras...?" Raito didn't seem calm about that, had he really forgotten or was he just that good of an actor?

"Yes, you were sleeping normally at night..." L ignored his shock.

"You went that far... Ryuzaki...? Then... during those five days I didn't act as a 'shinigami'...?"

"Right... there unfortunately was no activity... since criminals died even when you didn't gain any information on them... my conclusion was not that you weren't Kira, but that you made no mistakes to reveal yourself as Kira."

"No mistakes as Kira... huh? That may be correct... but how...? What should I do...? So am I not Kira then? If I look at it objectively, it seems probable." Is his plan working or not? Was he planning to pressure L into drawing a firm 'yes' or 'no' about him being Kira? The task force would support Raito over L just because Raito was more normal and they all knew him...

"It can't be, Raito... you're thinking too much..." Yagami insisted.

"I have to be honest... sometimes I think that some serious criminals should be killed... I think any person who thinks that way could become Kira..."

"Raito..."

"It's true, Dad... and not just criminals. There are many people who deep inside I think would be better off dead..."

Is L one of them?

"Raito..." Matsuda interrupted "That goes the same for me. I'm always thinking that some people should be dead. Most people are probably like that. But that doesn't mean you'd actually kill them, right? The criminals died even when you had no information on them. The cameras proved that. We watched you for five days, you couldn't be Kira..."

"N...no." Aizawa cut in "During that time we were low on members and only watched him in the house. We figured that would be enough but... it's not like we watched him 24 hours a day. He was at school and left freely whenever he wanted... if he figured out he was being watched, then there could have been a way for him to do the killings when he left the house."

Raito didn't respond and for a few seconds no one spoke, but L broke the silence.

"I don't really like where this is going but... fine... Raito Yagami will be restrained and placed under confinement for an undetermined amount of time." He decided.

"W...what...?" Yagami looked like he was about to have a second heart attack.

"But in that case... if we're doing it, we're doing it right now. You will not be allowed to leave my sight before then."

"Impossible... there's no way my son can be Kira... why should he..."

"It's okay, Dad." Raito cut him off, was his plan to get confined?

"Raito..."

"I'll do it. No, I want to. There's no way I'll be able to keep pursuing Kira if somewhere in my mind I suspect myself. I want to make this clear as soon as possible. This may take a while but it's probably the fastest way. No, this is the only way. But you have to agree to not let me out until you've determined for sure whether I'm Kira or not. No matter what I say, Ryuzaki." Does that mean he's going to give up his notebook and lose his memories? I couldn't think of another reason for him to ask for a favor like that.

"I understand... but I can't even imagine how long it would take for my suspicion of you to dissipate. So be prepared for that."

The only reason Raito would allow himself to be locked up would be that he was going to give up the notebook and prove his innocence, but Kira isn't going to go away, because if the killings stop he'll be convicted as Kira, so what's he going to do...?

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**Author's Note: **Yes, I still owe chapters. Thanks for reading and thanks for the reviews!


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